Winter's Heart
by Sparks89
Summary: AU:  When the Gods war, mortals are caught in the crossfire. Elsa wishes to protect those who worship her, especially a young auburn haired girl with a kind heart and a pure soul. ELSANNA, not incest
1. The Dire Wolf

A/N: So this is the first time I've written anything like this, it's pretty AU. If anyone who reads this is actually knowledgeable about Nordic and/or Celtic mythology, I apologize in advance since I butcher it about as much as Disney did with Greek mythology in Hercules. One thing to note: In Nordic mythology, Gods could die in battle. I've carried on this concept in the story. I hope you enjoy this, and would appreciate any constructive criticism or suggestions you might have. No flaming please

* * *

Odin rubbed his forehead in frustration. He couldn't say for sure how long current argument had been going on between the Gods of the North and the South, but their constant bickering was beginning to try his nerves. They had been feuding for centuries and at one point there had even been war between the two factions. He was doing what he could to prevent that from happening again, but he feared it was inevitable. He'd brought the entire Pantheon together to the Great Hall in an attempt to come to an agreement, however he was starting to lose patience with both sides.

"Enough," he roared, rising from his throne, abruptly silencing both sides. "I have had about as much of this as I can take!"

"Well, if the Northerners weren't so unreasonable…" Adelric, representing the South, trailed off. The God of Summer wore a condescending smirk.

"I hardly think asking you control your baser urges to be unreasonable," came the heated response. Adelric looked over to the speaker just to be met with a pair of angry ice blue eyes.

"Elsa, so judgmental," he replied with a smug smile. He had never liked the Winter Goddess and relished any opportunity to go after her. "You act as if it is our fault those mortals are so… tempting…"

"Temptation is not the issue here," Odin interrupted, "for no one can escape its whispers. The standard by which we are judged by is how we fight its calling."

"That's just it," Elsa countered angrily, "they don't even try to fight it, they just take! They act as if it is their right to use humans as they see fit, damn the fallout!"

"The strong always conquer the weak," Adelric replied, sounding bored. "They should be grateful we give their meaningless lives purpose."

"Is there nothing you will do to stop this," Elsa asked, turning to face Odin.

He sighed heavily as he sat back into his throne. "You already know the answer," he said wearily. "I do not approve of how they treat mortals, however, I will not condemn what Adelric and his brethren have done. It is not my place to dictate what is done in their domain."

"So be it," Elsa said, disappointed in her old friend. She turned to face the Gods and Goddess who stood with her to make sure they were in agreement. She made eye contact with her brother who stood at her side. He gave her a small smile that helped boost her confidence. Stealing herself, she turned to address Odin and the Southern deities. "Then in protest the Gods of the North remove themselves from the Pantheon." She paused at the collected gasp of everyone present. She turned to Odin, matching the anger in his eyes with her hard expression. "We cannot stand by as these abuses continue. If the Pantheon refuses to do what is right, we will remove ourselves from it."

"You would start a war," Odin thundered.

"No, we leave in peace," Elsa stated calmly. "Any war that may come will not be started by us. I cannot change what is done in another's domain, but I will not allow it in mine."

"Is that a threat, Huntress," Adelric asked with a smirk.

"As you are aware," Elsa answered calmly, "the bow I carry is not just for show." The God of Summer narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Elsa, Goddess of Winter, the Hunter, and Death, always carried a black longbow and a quiver of arrows. She had been known to use it to slay immortals who would threaten the people who worshiped her, and during the great war she had personally slew Adelric's parents with several well placed arrows.

"Are you sure this is the path you wish to take," Odin asked.

"It is."

"Very well," he sighed. He watched Elsa lead her supporters out of the hall that had grown completely silent as Adelric and his brothers sent venomous looks to the Northern deities. He feared despite the Winter Goddess' promise of peace that war was on the horizon, and it would be the mortals she wished to protect who would suffered…

* * *

Seven years later

Anna quickly ran and hid behind a tree, trying to outsmart her older brother. She was supposed to be helping Kristoff with chores around the farm. When he wasn't looking she slipped away to explore the woods surrounding her home. She didn't understand why it was such a big deal when she wanted to go play outside; she was too small to help out much anyway. She looked around and tried to control her breathing as she heard her brother get closer. It was only the middle of fall, but already the trees were completely bare and the threat of snow was ever-present. There were rumors that to the south the opposite was true, that they seemed to be in the midst of an unending summer.

The priests at the temple warned of trouble in the Pantheon as the reason. They said the Adelric, God of Summer and patron to the southern kingdoms along with his twelve brothers had declared war against Skadi, the Goddess of Winter and the other deities of the North. The priests had no answer as to what could have started this feud, however, warned of dark days to come. Some of the villagers started to grumble about this. "The Gods feud and us mortals are caught in the crossfire," Anna overheard a passerby rant. Personally, Anna hoped the warnings were true, she much preferred the winter months to the summer. She loved playing in the snow and making snowmen.

"Anna! Come on! I don't have time for your games," Kristoff shouted, forcing Anna back to the task at hand. He was only two years older than her, but liked to act like he was already a man and was so much better than her. It was for this reason she enjoyed getting the better of him. Speaking of which…

She managed to control her breathing and remain still as her brother walked right past where she was hiding. She brought her mittened hands to her mouth to help stifle a snicker. The ten year old didn't want to give herself away when she was this close to freedom.

Once she was sure he was out of earshot she took off in the opposite direction, her long auburn braids flowing behind her as she ran. She took care to make sure the cloak she wore to block the chill didn't catch on anything, but that distracted her from watching for obstacles in her path. She didn't see the tree root sticking up from the ground, and next thing she knew she tripped and slid forward on the dead leaves.

"Oww," Anna whined as she sat up on her knees and rubbed the elbow that had taken the brunt of her fall. It was then she heard a whimper nearby. She looked around and saw a young wolf shaking in fear hiding under a fallen log. "Hey little guy," Anna said moving towards the pup, pain in her elbow quickly forgotten. The wolf was covered in black fur, almost completely blending to the darkness of the log. In fact, if it hadn't been for the bright blue eyes, she would never have seen the wolf at all. In her excitement she rushed the pup with her usual grace, or rather lack thereof, causing her to trip once more. Scared, the wolf backed up further to get away from the strange human. Anna got up and forced herself to calm down. She took a deep breath, extended her left hand, and said softly, "It's ok lil' guy, I'm not gonna hurt you."

The wolf still looked frightened as Anna moved closer. "You can sniff me, it's ok. Promise I won't move too fast, which is really hard for me as you just saw. I always try to be careful, but I just get too excited. But I promise I'll try real hard to go slow cause I think you're adorable and I don't want to scare you. Are you hungry," she asked as she inched closer. "I don't got a lot, but I don't mind sharing. It's just a piece of venison jerky I swiped from my brother when he wasn't paying attention. Honestly, I think it's kinda gross, but it's funny to see him get mad when he sees I've taken it." Anna giggled at the thought of Kristoff's face when he realized not only she slipped by him, but got his jerky as well. With her free hand she slowly opened the satchel that was hidden by her grey cloak and pulled out the jerky. The wolf immediately started sniffing the air and zeroed in on her hand. "Here ya go," Anna said extending the food.

The pup cautiously left the safety of the shadows, eyes darting between Anna and the jerky. He was bigger than she had initially thought, looking closer to the size of a herding dog. She could tell he was still young, despite his size. When the wolf was just out of arms reach, he refused to get any closer, just looking at the food and whining. Taking pity on the hungry animal, Anna gently tossed the jerky towards him. She watched the wolf quickly lunge for the piece before taking it and running off. Anna smiled to herself as she watched the black fur blend in with the shadows cast by the trees in the waning light.

"ANNA!"

Uh-oh, this time it was her mother voice, best to be off before Papa came looking for her. She turned to run towards her home, but not before casting one last look back in the direction the wolf had run off. "Don't worry lil' guy," she said softly, "I promise I'll bring more tomorrow."

The next day she returned to the log with more jerky. The wolf was nowhere to be found, although Anna could have sworn she felt someone watching her the entire time. She looked around for a bit before giving up and leaving the jerky by the log she had found the wolf the day before.

When she came back the day after, with more food in hand (just in case) she saw the food she left previously was gone. Smiling, she crouched down to put more in its place. As she rose, she saw blue eyes watching her from under a rock ten feet away. Anna backed away slowly to show she wasn't a threat as the pup came out of his hiding spot to sniff what she had left. Never taking his eyes off her he grabbed it and ran off again.

This trend continued for over a week until one day she came by with her normal delivery in a small cloth sack just to see a trout sitting where she normally left food. Confused, she put down her bundle to pick up the fish and examine it. Feeling eyes on her, she turned to see the wolf in the shadow of a large tree watching her intently. As soon as their eyes meet, he got an almost hopeful expression and his tail started wagging. Anna smiled and taking a piece of jerky out of the bag held it out to the wolf. This time, he came right up to her, took the food from her hand before sitting next to her.

"Hi there," she said, goofy smile plastered on her face. "I'm Anna, it's nice to finally see you up close." His intelligent eyes seemed to be studying her at the same time she was looking him over. "You need a name," Anna said decisively. "I would have done it sooner, but every time I see you you're always hiding in the shadows… Hey! That's it! I'll call you Shadow! How's that sound?" He seemed to huff in approval before rolling on his back, exposing his neck. Anna was speechless, her father trained the village war dogs; she knew this move was extremely significant. She fought back tears as she looked over the wolf's belly, where she discovered with some amusement that she'd been making a mistake. "Oops," she said with a small giggle, "guess I should've been calling you lil' girl, not lil' guy."

Behind her a twig snapped, causing Shadow to immediately bolt up and getting between Anna and the noise. The wolf crouched and started growling low, hackles raised. Just then Kristoff came through the tree line. "Anna! Is this where you've been running off every…" His sentence trailed off as he noticed the wolf snarling at him.

"Shadow, no! It's ok, that's just my stupid brother," Anna said quickly before the situation got worse. The wolf, reading Anna's reaction to know he wasn't a threat, relaxed somewhat, but still kept an eye on Kristoff.

"Anna, what the name of all the gods are you doing," her brother demanded, keeping a nervous eye on the animal. "Do you have any idea what that is?"

"Her name is Shadow," Anna answered definitely.

"She's a dire wolf," Kristoff explained. "You can tell by her size and coloring. If the village council finds out about her they'll send out a hunting party to kill her."

"No," Anna cried, wrapping her arms around the wolf. In response to her distress, Shadow started grumbling low in her throat.

"Listen to me," Kristoff pleaded earnestly, "she's going to get bigger, much bigger. She's already the size of a war hound, by the time she's fully grown she'll be the size of a colt. The last time a dire wolf was near the village, it attacked the sheep herds and even killed a few children."

"Shadow would never do that," Anna insisted, tears spilling.

"But the village elders won't take any chances. Do you love Shadow," Kristoff asked, kneeling in front of his sister while still keeping a safe distance from the wolf.

"Yes…"

"Then you have to let her go. It's the only way to keep her safe."

"Ok," hiccupped through tears. She could feel her heart breaking as she looked at wolf that had become such a large part of her life after such a short time. Shadow sensed her sadness and let out a small cry before nuzzling Anna's face. "Bye Shadow," she whispered around her tears. "I'll never forget you."

"Go on," Kristoff said quietly. "I'll make sure she moves on."

"Promise you won't hurt her," Anna demanded, her arms still around the wolf's neck.

"I promise," he replied, placing a hand over his heart. "Besides, you can see I'm unarmed. There's no way I could take on a dire wolf with my bare hands."

Satisfied her brother wouldn't harm her friend, she squeezed Shadow on last time before running off without looking back.

Both wolf and boy watched her leave before Kristoff turned to the animal. "They say dire wolves are the most intelligent animals in the forest; that you are clever enough to speak and wise enough to know not to. That's what my Nan used to say, anyway." He watched as the wolf seemed to huff in approval. "You understand that I don't want to hurt you, right? This isn't personal, but the village elders won't let you be. You have to run, do you understand?" She whined and started to paw the ground in the direction Anna ran, clearly wanting to go after.

Kristoff watched, saddened he couldn't take Shadow with him, the connection to his sister was obvious. If things could have been different, she would have been loyal companion and protector for his little sister. "They'll punish her, you know," he said softly. Shadow's eyes immediately snapped to his and she let out a small growl. "The law is clear, we cannot allow a dire wolf to live near the village. After they kill you, they'd punish her for taking care of you. And me, if it matters to you, for not telling anyone I saw you. Do you understand now? For Anna's sake, you have to run."

The wolf gave a small cry before getting up and slowly starting off in a direction opposite from the path Anna took. Kristoff watched her trudge away with sad eyes, before looking down and seeing the small sack Anna had initially brought up. He opened it and let out a small laugh when he saw his jerky. 'So that's where it's all been going,' he ruefully thought to himself. He looked at the wolf's retreating form before making a split decision.

"Wait," he called out as he stood and reached into the satchel he always had on him. He pulled out a few more pieces and added it to the ones Anna had stolen from him. He slowly approached the wolf who was watching him closely and held out the sack. "May the Gods guide your path."

The wolf seemed to judge him for a long minute before reaching out and gently taking the sack between her teeth. She turned and headed out deep into the woods, quickly vanishing into the shadows. Kristoff stood there for a long moment before heaving a sigh and heading home to comfort his sister.


	2. Realities of War

Elsa sat in one of her personal chambers at her temple staring at a roaring fire trying to fight off the impending headache. She knew separating from the pantheon wouldn't be easy, but she never expected this. Every time she turned around, there was another plot by Adelric or one of his brothers trying to lure her into a war she wanted to avoid. The last thing she wanted was innocents caught in the cross fire.

"Everything alright?"

Elsa looked up to see Belle standing in the doorway. Speaking of innocent victims…

Belle, known as Niorun Goddess of Dreams to mortals, was an old friend and one time lover. Belle's temple complex was located in the European lands to the South and that was where most of her followers were. When Elsa first split from the Pantheon, she'd asked Belle to join their cause as a courtesy. She knew that Belle could never abandon her followers, but wanted to make sure she wouldn't make an enemy of her old friend. Belle declined with a sad smile, but also declined Alderic's middle brother, Gaston, when asked to join an alliance with the Southern Gods. Instead she joined Odin and a handful of other gods in a neutral position acting as a mediator between the two factions. That all changed two years ago. Long after the romance between them ended (but thankfully not their friendship) Belle had become smitten with a prince of a village that had made her their patron. Gaston had made it no secret he wanted her and became jealous that she would choose a mortal over him. He cursed the prince, turning him into a mindless beast. Belle immediately went to Odin for help, but he refused to get involved. Angered by his inaction, she went to Elsa, pledging her loyalty in return for help for her love and the promise of justice against Gaston. Elsa promised both to her friend, and sent her brother Vidar, a shape shifter gifted with powers to control beasts of the forest, to take the changed prince and move him to her lands in the North. It hadn't been a seamless transition, as he was still prone to lose control and attack helpless villages. It was the most she could to for her friend, and it was enough for Belle.

A snowball to the face interrupted her thoughts.

"What was that for," Elsa demanded as she wiped the snow away.

"You may want to get that under control," Belle answered instead with a smirk as she wiped the snow off her hands. Elsa looked around to see that her emotions had gotten the better of her powers and it was snowing heavily in the room.

"Sorry," Elsa sighed. "I have a lot on my mind."

"Clearly," her friend responded. "You're carrying around a lot of stress. Is there anything I can do to help relieve it?" When Elsa simply raised an eyebrow, Belle rolled her eyes and sighed, "Not like that. I mean, do you want to talk about it?"

Elsa tried to smile, but it came off weak. After a heavy silence, she sighed and asked, "Am I doing the right thing?"  
"What do you mean?"

"Am I even making a difference? I left the pantheon because of abuses done and Odin's inaction, but is it worth the cost? I'm not protecting humans outside my domain… Hel's fury, I'm barely protecting the ones in my domain. Between the endless winter and the threat of starvation due few crops that are able to survive the harsh weather…"

"Elsa," Belle interrupted, falling to her knees in front of her friend and taking both hands in her own, "you did the right thing. Just because the humans can't see what you've done to keep them safe doesn't make it irrelevant. And if it wasn't for you and Vidar, Adam would be lost to me. I promise you are making a difference."

"Thank you," Elsa replied around a lump that had formed in her throat. That was exactly what she needed to hear.

"You're welcome. Now you may want to compose yourself, there are reports of Aldelric trying to use some human cult as a way to break into your lands."

"It's always something," Elsa said with a sigh as she stood. Hands still in Belle's, she helped her friend stand before giving them a light squeeze. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Belle answered. "Now let's go see what shit for brains is up to."

Elsa laughed as she followed her friend out of the room.

Kristoff was hiding in a cave, knees to his chest, sobbing. He covered his face as he cried, ashamed of his weakness. He had been so excited this morning, finally earning the right to ride off with his father to protect his village. His chest was puffed out as he rode next to his father believing nothing could ruin this glorious moment. What a fool he had been!

The scouts had been warning of bandits pillaging nearby, so when word of an attack on a caravan reached the village a call went out for volunteers to end the threat. Most of the warriors were gone, having been summoned to the Lord to whom the village had sworn its fealty, so every able body was needed. Even the priests answered the call.

Kristoff remembered his father arguing with the holy men, saying that they were ill prepared to take on this threat. It was the head priest and servant of Skadi who had cut off his father's objections. He rode astride a majestic white horse, looking more warrior than priest with a great sword the size of Kristoff on his back.

"What be your objections, Hound Master," the deep baritone of the priest asked, using his father's official title. "The scouts say every able body is needed. You even have your boy ready to ride, and he hasn't even seen 13 winters."

"My son has been trained to be a warrior since he was strong enough to wield a practice blade," his father had responded coolly.

"As have we," the priest replied with a smirk. "I'll remind you, Hound Master, very few who join the cloth do so out of genuine piety. Many have a colorful past and found needed refuge in joining our respective orders. Fear not," he said quickly before another objection could be raised, "the Gods will be our shield."

"And what will you do when that shield is not enough," his father asked, patience near its end.

"Why, that is what our swords are for," the priest said with a laugh as he spurred his horse to join the riders, the other priests following.

As they rode out to the last reported location, Kristoff started daydreaming. He imagined a glorious battle, bandits falling left and right to his skill. They would battle all day, with the climax at sunset. It would just be him and the bandit leader in an epic duel that would be remembered for ages to come. 'Kristoff the Mighty' they would call him, or maybe 'Kristoff the Bandit Slayer'. Or perhaps just 'Slayer'… he liked the sound of that last one. He pictured himself in gleaming silver armor, riding through cheering cities on the back of Sven, his trusty reindeer, as the sun shone brilliantly on his golden hair…

That was another lifetime ago. Now here he hid like a coward in a cave under his cloak, not even sure if his father or any of the riders from his village were still alive. Funny how he never realized before now that death was a very real possibility.

They arrived at the downed caravan before noon. Kristoff hadn't even realized they were there, that is until the smell of rotting flesh hit his nostrils. He immediately dismounted his horse and went to vomit his breakfast behind the nearest tree. As soon as he finished, he wiped his mouth, hoping he could salvage his pride and no one heard him. He looked up at the tree not five feet away and screamed like a child. A boy who looked barely older than him was facing him, dead eyes staring into his. The bandits had tied the boy's hands behind his back and then used arrows and short swords to pin him to the tree.

Kristoff's father and the other men rushed over as soon as they heard his cry. To Kristoff's relief, they all seemed to ignore his cowardice and instead focused on pulling the boy down. All, that is, except the priest to the Winter Goddess, who came to stand next to him.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," his gruff voice said quietly for only Kristoff to hear, "not a man here hasn't done the same when hit smell of rotted human flesh the first time. It's not natural for us, and our bodies react as such. And what these animals did to that child… None of us looks down on you. What these men did is evil, and the Gods themselves will see them punished for this. You've done nothing for which you should feel ashamed."

"Yes sir," Kristoff muttered quietly.

"Kristoff," his father bellowed.

"Here I am," he said, running up, averting his eyes from the lifeless body the men had finally gotten down.

"There's nothing you need to see here. Tend to the horses."

"But father…"

"Don't argue with me boy," his father said sternly.

"Yes father," he said dejectedly, heading back out to the horses left just outside the remains of the caravan.

As soon as he stepped out of view of the men he heard someone give a war cry. By the time he turned around, he heard someone shout ambush and the first telltale sounds of metal striking to indicate swords clashing. Before he knew what he was doing he took off running. It wasn't until he'd gotten a quarter mile he realized he left his sword on his horse; another half mile and he decided he never wanted to touch another blade again.

He had gotten disoriented in his rush to get away from the battle and had no idea where he was. As night started to descend he managed to find a cave that seemed to be well hidden. After quickly checking it to make sure it was empty, he sat down just inside the mouth, making sure he was out of view from anyone who happened by. It was a cold night, but he didn't dare light a fire, he wouldn't chance the bandits seeing it. Wrapping himself tighter in his fur lined cloak he rested his head on the wall of the cave trying to clear his head.

Just before sleep claimed him, he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise and knew he was being watched. He had left his sword, but still had his dagger on his belt and slowly moved his hand to the hilt. Once he had it in his hands, he quickly withdrew it and shot up into a crouching position to attack whoever was watching him. He was a disgrace for his actions today, first vomiting, then screaming, and finally running instead of fighting at his father's side; but he refused to die a coward. He was ready to lunge when he saw who was watching him: a young girl about his sister's age. She stood there shivering in a ripped undershirt that was obviously meant for a grown man and pants with gaping holes in the legs. She didn't have anything to cover her bare feet. It looked as if she hadn't bathed in weeks judging by the dirt caked to her body and her matted hair that in the dark it appeared to be either black or dark brown. She had blue eyes that were wide with fear.

Kristoff quickly straightened and put his knife away before holding his hands up and quickly saying, "It's ok, I won't hurt you." The girl seemed to look him over before relaxing slightly, although still wary of him. He was immediately gripped with an urge to banish the look of fear and protect her. "You must be cold," he said, reaching up to remove his cloak. "You can wear this if you want. I got warm clothes underneath." He held it out to her, and she cautiously looked him over before taking it and wrapping it around herself. It wasn't a complete lie, he did have a long sleeved shirt and a short sleeved one under that, however, it wasn't as warm as he'd let on and he immediately missed the warmth of the cloak.

"Are you hungry," he asked, reaching into the pack at his waist, trying to fight off the shivers that were already starting to rack his body and grab the food he knew was in there. His mother and sister had packed it for him this morning, knowing he'd be too excited to remember to do it. He was in such a rush he didn't even say goodbye or thank them. 'And now I'll never have the chance…' he thought sadly before shaking his head to clear those thoughts. "It's not a lot, but you can have some if you want." He held out a piece of flat bread and hard cheese, which she took wordlessly, still holding the cloak together in one hand.

Kristoff slowly sat back down while the girl just stood there watching him. "You can sit next to me, if you like. Or you can sit on the other side of the cave. Whatever you're most comfortable with," he said, the words feeling weak to his own ears. The girl just looked him over again before coming to sit next to him. He smiled down at her as he ate what was left, which honestly wasn't much, everyone had expected to be back by dinner. All he had was a piece of flat bread and some venison jerky, which he quickly finished. He felt his stomach rumble, and wished he had thought to pack more. The girl had also eaten her meal quickly and looked over at him when she heard his stomach.

"Sorry about that," he said with a slight wince.

She quietly reached into a pocket of the ripped pants and pulled out a small sack that Kristoff instantly recognized. She opened it, revealing four strips of venison jerky and handed him 2 pieces.

"Where did you get this," he asked, trying not to sound harsh or ungrateful. The girl just shrugged and looked away, fear starting to show in her face again.

"Thank you for sharing," Kristoff quickly said, trying to get her to relax again. She just nodded her head and kept looking away. "My name is Kristoff, in case you were wondering. I'm sorry I pulled a knife on you earlier, I was just running from some bandits, and I when I sensed someone standing there, I thought it might be them, and I got scared…" His voice started to crack and he had to look away as he fought off tears. He felt a hand on his arm and turned to see the girl staring up at him, deep blue eyes showing understanding. He gave her a tight smile before bringing one of the strips of jerky to his mouth.

They ate in silence before the girl pulled the cloak from around her shoulders and spread it over both of them and snuggled into Kristoff's side. He just smiled and put his arm around her, falling into a light sleep.

It felt like minutes later he was jolted awake, although judging the light pouring into the mouth of the cave he had slept through the night. He looked down to see the girl from the night before curling closer, trembling as she looked towards the front of the cave in fear. Kristoff tried to sense what had frightened her when he heard it: very soft rustling sounds, as if someone was trying to sneak up on them. The fear from the previous day invaded, causing him to immediately lock up. He fought back a whimper as an image of the boy in the tree and memories of the smell came slamming to the surface. Just as he felt as if the fear would smother him, he felt the girl next to him shuddered again and remembered the feeling from the night before to protect her. Finding his resolve, he quietly stood and removed his dagger, signaling to the girl to remain hidden.

He pressed himself the wall on the mouth of the cave, it stuck out enough to hide him in the shadows and still allow him to peer out to see whoever was approaching. After an endless minute a figure emerged. He was at least two feet taller than Kristoff with a scar dominating the left side of his face and long red natty looking hair loosely tied back. He fit the descriptions of the bandit leader and it was obvious he'd recently seen combat. He had most of his left arm wrapped and Kristoff could see blood seeping out of a wound that had been on his right side that was visible through a large blood stained cut in his shirt.

"I know you're in there girlie," he shouted out in a funny accent Kristoff didn't recognize. "I tracked ya' all the way 'ere, now come on out and make it easy on the both of us. I 'romise ya' it wonnit be pleasant if I gotta drag ya' all the way back to the Highlands."

"You'll not touch her," Kristoff declared with a confidence he didn't feel as he left his hiding spot to block the cave's entrance.

The bandit leader seemed shocked to see Kristoff, before a slimy smile invaded his face. "You the one that got away yesterday are ya' boyo? Shoulda kept runnin' like the coward ya' are instead of taking up with the likes o' 'er."

"You'll not touch her," Kristoff repeated, revealing the dagger in his right hand as he crouched, ready to attack.

"I won't 'ave some whelp barely off 'is mother's tit cheat me outta King Fergus's ransom," he said, drawing his sword and charging Kristoff. If he'd been expecting an easy kill, he was mistaken.

His father had always taught him to use misdirection and take advantage of an enemy's weakness. The bandit was injured and judging by his run wasn't able to move well as he was used to. Kristoff had placed the dagger in his right hand to mislead the bandit into thinking that was the one he would fight with. Although fully capable of using his right, he was left hand dominant. As soon as the bandit was close enough, he rolled away to give him a better angle to the bandit's injury, and switched the dagger from his right hand to his left as the bandit's sword slammed on the ground. Before he had a chance to recover, Kristoff pressed his advantage and jammed his dagger as deep as he could into the wound on bandit's side. As he howled in pain, the bandit managed to backhand Kristoff to the ground, leaving the dagger jammed in his side.

"Shouldnnit 'ave done that boyo," the bandit panted, advancing on Kristoff, a murderous look in his eye. "I'll skin ya' real good fo' that." He raised his sword, but before he could bring it down, something hit the side of his head, distracting him. Acting on instinct, Kristoff shot up, grabbed the dagger out of his side and slammed it into the bandit's throat. The bandit turned shocked eyes to him as he started spitting up blood before crashing to the ground, the life leaving his body.

Kristoff looked over to the cave to see the girl standing there, rocks in her hand that she'd thrown at the bandit to distract him. He tried to say something, when he was interrupted by more rustling in the foliage surrounding the cave. Grabbing the sword dropped by the bandit, Kristoff turned to face whatever threat emerged.

"Easy there, boy," said a deep voice he instantly recognized. A second later the high priest of Skadi came into view, flanked on either side by two other priests, all of three of them with weapons at the ready. He tried to speak, but only managed to make a small noise before collapsing to the side and vomiting what little was in his stomach. "That's it boy, let it out," the priest said, crouching next to him and putting a hand on his back. "You've done well, you're father will be proud."

"He's alive," Kristoff chocked out between dry heaves.

"He's alive," the priest confirmed with a smile. "He was injured in the ambush, but he'll survive. Maybe he'll finally listen to the healer and rest once we get you back to the village."

Kristoff stood and felt a presence behind him. He turned to see the girl hiding at the mouth of the cave, his cloak wrapped tightly around her, frightened of the men who had appeared out of nowhere.

"And who do we have her," the priest asked kindly, noticing her. He saw how frightened she was and didn't want to distress her further.

Kristoff held out his hand to her, and she tentatively walked out to him. She took his hand and curled into his side as he spoke, "The bandits were after her, something about getting a ransom from a King Fergus of the Highlands." He noticed the looks exchanged between the men. "I need to take her back to the village."

"Of course," the priest replied. "I'm sure we'll find a family to take her in, if not the temple, until we can find her family…"

"No," Kristoff said firmly. "I'm taking her to my home while the elders figure out what to do."

The priest looked from Kristoff to the girl before looking back to him. They locked eyes for a minute before the priest gave him a small smile and said, "As you say, young warrior."


	3. A New Friend

Ch3

A/N: Thank you to everyone who left a review and followed this story! I appreciate all the support!

* * *

"Elsa," the Goddess heard shouted from somewhere behind her. She turned to see her brother making his way towards her. Vidar was a head shorter than her with short jet black hair and tan skin that contrasted sharply with her pale skin and white hair. Once they looked more alike, but that was another lifetime ago. Another difference between them was in his build: while she was tall and lithe befitting an archer, he was stocky with enough muscle to wield the great sword attached to his back.

After their parents had died, he was all she had left of her family, and they had always been close. There had been a rough patch between them when she had taken the mantel of a Goddess of the Season, but they had worked through it. She had no greater ally than him and he was one of her closest confidants. In return, she would do anything for him, a sentiment that was unfortunately put to the test more often than not thanks to his wandering eye.

"What can I do for you dear _bróðir_?"

"I… I need to go away for a while to take care of something," he stammered out. Elsa looked her brother over; it had been a long time since she had seen him this upset.

"Of course, is everything alright?"

"Yes, it's just... I need to look into something."

"Vidar," Elsa said soothingly as she placed an arm on each of his shoulders, "you know you can tell me anything and I will be there for you?"

"I know," he sighed, raising his hands and placing them on her forearms, "I just need to take care of this myself."

"Alright," Elsa said softly as she withdrew her hands. "You know how to find me if you need me."

"Thank you," he replied earnestly, impulsively wrapping her in a bear hug like he used to when they were younger. He let her go and walked away promising, "I'll meet you in the Highlands for your festival."

Elsa watched the last of her family walk away, wishing he would let her help him.

"Here ya go," Anna said cheerfully, holding out a blanket for her new friend. Well, she wasn't her friend yet, but that wouldn't be too hard to change. The girl who'd come home with Kristoff was sitting in front of the fire in the main room wearing some of Anna's clothes.

As soon as Kristoff had come through the door, Anna had practically tackled him in her excitement to see him home safe. Their mother had grabbed him before he'd even fully recovered from Anna's attack and held on tight, not even bothering to hide her tears. After assuring his mother that he was fine, he gently extracted himself to introduce the girl who had been hiding behind him, wrapped tightly in her brother's cloak.

With soft words and gentle movements, her mother convinced the girl to take her hand and follow her to the washroom to scrub away and all the dirt and grime. The girl's clothes were unsalvageable, so without prompting Anna decided to give up some of hers. After going over her rather small wardrobe, she decided on a simple blue dress. It was one of her nicest (and favorite) dresses, but she knew that her soon to be friend would look good in it. Besides, Anna had hit a growth spurt recently and the dress was starting to get a little small. The other girl was smaller and was sure to get some wear out of it. At least, that's what Anna told herself as she knocked quietly on the washroom door, nervously waiting for her mother to answer. After a beat, her mother's head popped out, staring down questioningly at her daughter.

"For her," Anna said simply, holding the clothes out.

"Anna, that's one of your favorite dresses," her mother said, surprise coloring her voice as she took her daughter's offering.

"She needs it," Anna said with a shrug. She couldn't figure out why her mom seemed to be fighting tears. After she composed herself, her mother asked, "Could you go get some blankets for our guest? She's about done, and may want them as she warms by the fire."

"Ok Mama," Anna said excitedly, happy to be helping for once instead of being in the way.

That had been over an hour ago, and now both girls sat in front of the fire, wrapped in blankets. Kristoff and her papa had ridden out to the village square to meet with the village elders. Just as well, Kristoff kept hanging around her new soon to be friend and being way too over protective. Now was the best chance for them to talk before everyone came back.

"So…" Anna said, trying to break the silence, "you're really quiet. Not that it's a bad thing," Anna quickly covered once she realized what she'd said and saw the girl flush with embarrassment. "Honestly, I talk too much, probably enough for the both of us, and wanted to be friends, but it's hard to do that when we don't even talk to each other, not that we would need to all the time, just enough to get to know each other… ya know?" Anna wanted to kick herself. She hated how she rambled all the time and now this girl probably thought she was crazy.

"I would really like to be your friend," the girl said so quietly that Anna had almost missed it. She had turned her head to meet Anna's gaze, her expressive dark blue eyes hopeful. The girl spoke with an accent Anna had never heard before. She decided she liked it.

"Really," Anna asked excitedly. "Well, friends start off by telling each other their names. Mine's Anna. What's yours?"

"It doesn't matter," the girl said sadly, turning back to the fire. "Everyone who knew it is dead."

Anna didn't know what to say to help her new friend feel better. Suddenly she got an idea. "Then I'll just have to give you one," Anna stated. This got the girls attention, and caused her to look at Anna again. "That way you don't have to think about your old one and all the bad memories attached to it."

"Ok," she responded softly.

"Yay," Anna squealed happily, glad she could help. "I'm the best friend-namer ever, promise. Now let's see… You have this look about you, almost royal," Anna said, looking her over closely. Despite the sorrow that clearly showed on her face, there was also a commanding bearing; like she could lead an army one day if she wanted. "You'll need a name that sounds authoritative, but also approachable… I know! Alexandra!" She seemed to like it, so Anna added on, "That way I can call you Ally for short! What do you think?"

She seemed to think it over before saying softly, "I think I'd prefer-"

The rest of her sentence got cut off by the front door opening. Both girls whipped around to see Anna's papa and brother, as well as the high priest of Skadi. Anna saw her new friend shrink back a little in fear at all the attention directed at her, so she stuck her hand out and quietly grabbed one of hers and squeezed lightly. Her friend never took her eyes off the men, but did return the squeeze.

Kristoff was the first to leave the doorway and walk over. He felt a spike of unreasonable jealousy that his sister was holding the other girl's hand, but he managed to push it down as he approached. He crouched next to her on the other side of Anna, so the two were flanking her. "The priest is here to talk to you about finding your family," Kristoff explained softly.

"You can call me Baldar, young one," the priest said taking a seat in front of the trio. He made sure to sit far enough away to keep her from feeling trapped. "Can you tell me what I may call you?"

She looked at Anna for a moment before answering. "Alex. It's short for Alexandra." Anna did her best to keep from breaking into a huge smile.

"Alex is it," the priest questioned, rubbing his chin. "Now that doesn't sound like a name from the Highlands."

"It isn't. You didn't ask my name, just what to call me."

"Right you are," Baldar replied with a smile. "Will you tell me your name?"

"No."

"No?"

"No. My name doesn't matter anymore."

"Doesn't matter? What would your mother say to that," the priest asked gently.

"Not much since she's dead. The men who attacked us, they… they…" her voice broke as she tried to speak. Acting on instinct, Kristoff wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Anna squeezed Alex's hand. She took a minute to compose herself before continuing. "She had written to my grandfather, King Fergus of DunBroch, that we were coming to stay with them for awhile. While on the way there, the caravan we were with got attacked by men trying to capture Mother and me. The soldiers traveling with us held them off so we could get away, but some of the attackers broke off and followed. She stopped running and told me to keep moving. I tried to go back and help her, but I wasn't fast enough… and then she was screaming…"

"It's alright child," Baldar said softly as Alex started to cry. "You don't need to say anything you're not comfortable with telling. There's only one thing I need to know." He waited until he had the girl's attention before he asked, "Can you tell me about the dire wolf?"

"W-what dire wolf," Kristoff asked, shooting a pleading look to his sister to keep quiet.

"So you do know something about it," the priest observed with a small smile. "Relax young warrior, I serve the Goddess of Winter. If you ever visited her shrine at the temple you'd see that she is almost always depicted beside her brother, the great wolf Vidar. I believe dire wolves are sacred and should be revered, not hunted."

"How can a wolf be her brother," Anna asked, trying to cover her nerves.

"He is a shape shifter, young one," the priest explained gently. "It means he can shift his form from a man to a dire wolf, whichever best servers his purpose. Now, why don't you tell me what you know about this dire wolf."

"I found one a week ago," Anna blurted out, starting to ramble. "She was hungry and so I fed her and took care of her, but then Kristoff found out and told me that we had to send her away so…"

"Kristoff, you knew about this," her father thundered, interrupting her. He was furious his son would have any part in this.

"Yes sir," Kristoff replied, meeting his father's eyes.

"The black wolf killed the men that went after Mother," Alex's quiet voice rang out. All eyes turned toward her.

"So she protected you," the priest clarified. Alex simply nodded, not adding anything else. "The other priests of Skadi found the bodies that appeared to have been victims of a dire wolf."

"Is that how you got the jerky," Kristoff asked. When he saw everyone watching him, he explained, "Before I sent the wolf away-"

"Shadow," Anna hissed.

"Before I sent Shadow away," Kristoff corrected with a sigh, "I added to the jerky Anna had brought and gave it to her. I saw the cave that you had the sack it was in and most of the jerky still."

"It was given to me," the girl confirmed quietly.

"That was all I wanted to know," the priest said, rising. "Thank you for talking with me, Alex."

"Will I have to leave soon," she asked quietly.

"Yes child," he answered. "As soon as your royal grandfather arrives."

"But I like it here," she said even softer.

"This won't be goodbye forever," he answered with a smile. "King Fergus is known encouraging trade and good relations with his neighbors. And for the village that returned the only child of his estranged daughter… Well, suffice it to say, I doubt it'll be the last you see of us, young one."

She gave the priest a small smile before he turned to Kristoff's father and said, "And don't you worry. I won't tell the elders about the dire wolf if you don't."

"I would be grateful," he answered, directing an angry look at his children. "Now if you'll excuse me, Priest, I need to have a word with my children out in the back fields."

Kristoff gulped, knowing what punishment was coming. Doing his best to keep the fear out of his voice, he was barely successful keeping it from wavering as he spoke. "Father, I was the one who told Anna to keep everything hidden and I was the one who refused to tell the elders of the wolf. As the oldest, the responsibility is mine, and the failure is mine. Please leave Anna out of this."

His father looked him over. The anger was still present, but there was also pride in his eyes. "Very well, boy," he answered gruffly. "Anna, you'll not get supper this night and are banished from the woods and stay home bound until the next full moon." She was upset, but knowing that Kristoff was about to take the lion's share of punishment knew better than to protest.

"Yes father."

"Let's go boy," he said to his son as he headed out the front door. Kristoff just sighed and followed his father out.

* * *

A few weeks later they were in the village proper. There wasn't much to it but a few shops and a meeting hall. Up on a hill half a mile away was the temple complex. It wasn't as big as the one in Arendelle, home of the Lord of the surrounding villages, but it was big enough in its own right and housed shrines to all the Gods and Goddesses of the North.

Word had been sent that the King of the Highlanders, Fergus of DunBroch was arriving this day. He had traveled across the North Sea two months ago when his youngest daughter and granddaughter had gone missing. He had been searching with Lord Audun of Arendelle when word of his granddaughter's rescue had reached him. He had immediately set off for the obscure village with the Lord of the land acting as his guide.

Anna looked over at her friend, it was clear she wasn't happy that her time at their village was coming to an end. She thought back to the first night Alex had spent with them. Kristoff had come back from the fields well after sunset, bruised and bloody. He didn't show any interest at eating anything and went straight to his bed, which was across the room from Anna's. Their house wasn't very big, just two bedrooms and a great room, so Anna and her brother had to share a room. She heard him come in, since she was already in bed, no sense in tormenting herself watching everyone eat food she couldn't have. She heard her mother comment about how hungry Alex must be since she had eaten so much. Anna's stomach grumbled in complaint, but she did her best to ignore it and try and sleep.

A little later, she heard Alex ease into the room and walk over to Kristoff. Curious, Anna turned to watch her, just to see her leave a small bundle on the table next to Kristoff's bed. Then she turned and walked over to the bed she would be sharing with Anna. As she climbed up, Anna noticed she had a cloth napkin in her hand that seemed to be packed with something.

"For you," Alex said simply before lying down on her side, her back to Anna.

Anna opened the napkin to see Alex had been able to sneak her some food from dinner. She looked over her friend to Kristoff, who had gingerly rolled over and was starting to eat what Alex had brought him. With a small smile, she ate quickly so as not to be caught if her father came in to check on her.

As days went on, Alex had slowly become a member of the family. An obvious bond formed between Alex, Anna, and Kristoff, and even her father had grown a soft spot for the soft spoken girl. When they received word that King Fergus would be arriving to the village soon, Anna was heartbroken. Despite her father forbidding her from going into the forest, Anna had run there. It had always been a place of comfort for her and she needed that now. Without realizing it, she went to the spot she used to feed Shadow. Heart breaking all over at the memories of the dire wolf, she went to the tree she used to leave food for the wolf and curled up as the tears started pouring out of her. She wasn't sure how, but Alex found her soon after. The girl quietly sat next to Anna, and pulled her over so she could cry on her shoulder. It was near sundown when the two made it back and with Kristoff's help were able to sneak past Anna's father.

Anna was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of approaching horses. She looked up as armed men on horseback invaded the square. Many of them were the village warriors who had been summoned by Lord Audun, while others wore clothing she didn't recognize. They wore what looked like green skirts with a red sash across their chest. She was about to question her papa when two more men entered the village. The one on the left she recognized as Lord Audun, while the one on the right she guessed to be King Fergus. He was a large man with wild hair that was so red it was almost orange. He had beard that was as red as his hair with the exception of where grey had started to show and had a wooden peg in place of his left leg. He was a giant of a man and had to ride the biggest draft horse she'd ever seen.

Lord Audun and who she assumed was King Fergus stopped in front of her family. Both men dismounted as her family dropped to their knees out of respect. Alex was the only one to remain standing. Anna felt her brother next to her tense up and watched her friend out of the corner of her eye.

King Fergus looked Alex over before gruffly asking in the same accent her friend had, "Do you know who I am, lass?"

"Yes," she said quietly, meeting his eyes.

"Tell me then, who am I?"

"The King of DunBroch and the free people of the Highlands."

"If I'm a king, why don't you kneel," he asked with a raised brow.

"Mother taught me that I should always humble myself before the Gods, but to draw the line there."

Anna could hear a collective gasp go out from the villagers present as the King looked his granddaughter over. Suddenly he started laughing before saying, "There's a good lass. There's all the proof I need to know you're my blood." He looked around and saw the villagers still bowing, he raised his voice so everyone could hear, "Stand, everyone, I'm a man just like you."

Anna stood up and watched as the King approach her father and ask, "You are the scion of your house?"

"Yes, sire," he replied, momentarily bowing his head before meeting the king's eyes again. "Erland, master and trainer of the village war hounds. My wife, Dagny, and my children, Kristoff and Anna."

The king turned his gaze to her brother and asked, "You, boy, you're the one who protected my granddaughter?"

"I didn't do anything of note, your majesty," Kristoff said, clearly intimidated by the boisterous king.

"Didn't do anything of note," King Fergus repeated, stunned. "You protect my granddaughter and kill one of the most infamous bandits ever to walk out of the Highlands and you don't think you've done anything of note? Gods above I've been king of the wrong group of people if you think that is nothing!"

"What my son means to say, sire," her father jumped in when Kristoff seemed incapable of answering, "is he only did what any other man of honor would do."

"And that's the problem, isn't it? Finding true men of honor anymore," King Fergus said ruefully.

"You'll find them aplenty here, my king," Lord Audun interjected.

"So it would appear," the king replied, stroking his beard with his left hand contemplatively. "A reward is due for your courage. You will travel to DunBroch in a month's time, I will cover all expenses. You will be my guests of honor at the Winter Festival."

"That is not necessary, your majesty," her father said.

"Of course it is," he said, cutting off further objections. He slapped Kristoff on the back, knocking the wind out of him and almost knocking him over before continuing, "You, boy, will sit at my right hand in the place of honor at the feast and join my family as we place the offering in the Temple of Cailleach."

"Who," Anna asked before she could stop herself. She immediately realized her mistake as soon as she saw the look her father gave her.

"The Goddess of Winter," Baldar, who had been standing behind her family, answered. "Although the names may vary depending where you are, the Pantheon remains the same."

"So, what say you, hound master," King Fergus asked Anna's father. "Will you let me repay your family for the gift of returning all that's left of my baby girl?"

"We would be honored," her father answered, bowing at the waist. Anna looked over at Alex and made eye contact with her friend. They exchanged a brief smile, each glad that this was not the last time they'd see each other.


	4. Reuinions

Anna looked around the room provided her in wonder. She'd never had a room all to herself before, and she fully intended to take advantage of it. They'd just arrived in DunBroch, and as honored guests of the king were given rooms at the castle. They had even been met by the king's sons when their ship had docked. They'd introduced themselves, but Anna doubted she'd be able to keep them straight considering they were identical triplets.

Once they were escorted to their rooms, they had been informed that they had been provided with a wardrobe for the trip courtesy of the royal family and it was theirs to take with them when they left. They were instructed to change into the clothes that had been laid out for the feast and then head down to the Great Hall when ready; the feast would start as soon as they arrived. Anna quickly changed and headed to her parents room so they could head down together.

When she entered the room her parents had been given, she saw they were all dressed in similar clothing. Her and her mother had dresses that were royal blue with gold trim. Her father and brother had a tunic of the same color, white undershirt and black pants with matching fur lined boots. They'd each been given a royal blue cape with a profile of a snarling mabari war hound, the dogs her father trained, outlined in gold.

As they were led to the Great Hall by a servant, Anna started to get nervous. She had really missed Alex; the two had become fast friends during her stay. But a month was a long time, maybe Alex had changed, or maybe she'd forgotten Anna. By the time they were standing outside the giant doors leading to the feast, Anna was fighting back tears. She was so worked up she didn't notice the doors opening or the herald announcing them. Maybe now that she was around royalty she started thinking she was better than the hound master's daughter and didn't want anything to do with her. Maybe…

She never got to finish that thought; she was too busy trying to stay standing as something slammed into her. It took her a few seconds to realize that it was Alex, and her friend was hugging her tightly.

"I've missed you so much," she heard an accented voice whisper before she was released. Anna had a huge smile on her face as she watched Alex pull her brother into a hug as hard as the one she'd gotten.

King Fergus and his family approached as a silence descended the hall

* * *

Elsa always made sure she was in DunBroch this time year; the festival was in her honor after all. And unlike most of the Celtic world, this kingdom didn't view her as some one-eyed hag to be hated and feared; rather they viewed her as a Goddess to be loved and celebrated her each year at the winter solstice.

Like others in the Pantheon, she went by many names: to the Celts she was Cailleach, to the Norse she was Skadi. Only those closest to her knew her true name. Unlike the other deities, she preferred to keep to herself and remain a mystery to the mortals around her, it kept things simple.

So many of her brethren demanded lofty titles and grand festivals, punishing those that worshiped them when they failed to meet their extravagant expectations. All Elsa asked was to be remembered, she didn't even mind being depicted as an old hag or crone. Those that professed to fear her still smiled on the first snowfall, blessing her name when they thought none could hear. But she did, and that was enough.

Her curiosity was peaked when she heard celebrating coming from DunBroch Castle. Normally they were reserved the night before the festival in her honor. Reserved by their standards, anyway, Elsa thought with a smirk as she made her way to the castle.

She entered remaining unseen by those around her, and saw King Fergus and his family at the front of the hall, talking with someone. She was having difficulty seeing over the mountain of a man that was the king. It appeared he was introducing his family to whomever was standing there before turning around and addressing the hall.

"Comrades," he bellowed, "we gather here every year to pay tribute to the great Goddess Cailleach! But this year we have more reasons to celebrate, and may she not look at us in jealousy for tonight's feast in honor of the heroes who brought my granddaughter home!"

Although some of the other deities would have been angered by a feast devoted to another on the eve of their festival, Elsa was not. In all honesty, she was overjoyed to hear that this young girl had made it safely to the Highlands.

She'd always had a soft spot for this family: the boisterous king who always put his the needs of his family and his people above his own; the regal queen who could smooth any tense situation with her quiet grace; the triplets Harris, Hubert, and Hamish who grew to be dignified young men without losing their talent for causing mischief; Merida, the free spirit who wished to choose her own fate and her twin sister, the sweet hearted Aili.

Elsa's heart broke at the memory of when Queen Elinor had entered her temple a few months ago. Normally she'd be in the North, spreading her blessing on those who took her as their patron, but she could feel the pain of a broken heart drawing her to her temple in the Highlands. She knew something was wrong when she saw the regal queen dressed completely in black, from the dress to the cloak she wore with a hood covering her tear stained face. The queen quietly entered, walking to her altar and placing a small offering upon it. Without revealing herself to the mortal, she looked to see it was a doll that had been a favorite of Aili's growing up. She had seen the queen for some time visit the temple of Beasal, the Guardian of Travelers, knowing that Aili had left home several years ago. Elsa fought to contain her reaction as the queen quietly knelt, pulled down her hood, and started her prayer.

"Cailleach, Goddess of Winter and the hunt, Mistress of death, I come to you now, begging you to hear my humble plea. Please protect my daughter's soul, and help her find eternal peace." She paused to take a deep breath and fight the tears that were threatening to spill. "I received word from my husband this morn that they found her body… what was left of it… in the Nordic lands. She was within a few days rides of a city in the fjords where she was going board a ship and finally return home after almost a decade and a half." Here the queen broke down, no longer able to hold back her tears. She tried to compose herself before giving up and shouting, "She was coming home! Why did this have to happen? She was my baby girl! Why?" Elsa felt tears silently falling as she moved to comfort the grieving mother. She wrapped her arms around the heartbroken queen, allowing the temperature around her to drop slightly so the queen would recognize her presence.

The queen immediately wiped her eyes, and whispered, "Forgive my outburst, my heart is breaking and I am not thinking clearly, I did not mean..." Elsa sent a cold blast to silence the queen, before sending a gentle gust to move the hair from her eyes and wipe her tears away. She reached out and pulled the doll from her altar to bring in front of the queen. With a watery smile, she took it and said, "Thank you." Queen Elinor clung to the doll and said around the lump in her throat, "I know you are not the cruel hag the south tries to claim you to be. If you were, you would not have spared her daughter." Elsa's eyebrows shot up to her forehead; she was unaware that Aili had a daughter, just as she had been unaware that she was in her domain of the North. Someone had gone to great lengths to hide both of them from her, and with the skill it was done with could only mean divine intervention. She'd have to look into this later. For now she had no plans to leave the grieving queen and did all she could to comfort her.

She was pulled from her memories as King Fergus moved aside to introduce his guests. She had yet to see the prodigal granddaughter, and was curious how much she would resemble her maternal side.

The first two who were introduced were a husband and wife. Looking at their hearts she could see the goodness in them. She could see the love the man had not just for his wife, but for his two children and the girl he had taken into his home. Looking at the woman, she could see her devotion to her husband. She had a quiet exterior, and much like the queen. It did well to hide the fierceness with which she would protect her family.

The king finally stepped aside revealing the children, and immediately Elsa could see the bond between the three of them. She watched the blond haired boy with a smirk as he shifted uncomfortably under the attention he was getting. The two girls were facing each other so that all the Goddess saw was the back of the raven haired girl's head, blocking the view of the other. She sensed the protectiveness the boy felt towards both girls and the beginnings of something more for the King's granddaughter. Elsa smiled as she also saw the same feelings starting in her as well, although she doubted the girl recognized it for what it was. She could also sense the sisterly bond between the two girls that couldn't have been stronger even if they had been related by blood. The king called his granddaughter, Alex, to his side, allowing Elsa to get a glimpse of both girls.

With Alex no longer obstructing her view, she could get a clear view of the auburn headed girl. As soon as she looked at her soul, the breath caught in Elsa's throat and she felt like time had stopped. Inside this girl was the purest soul and truest heart of anyone, mortal or god, she had ever encountered. Something about her caused a stirring in Elsa she'd never felt, drawing her in. Elsa took a step forward, driven by some urge to claim this girl as hers. 'Stop it,' a voice in her head screamed. 'She's only a child!' Elsa immediately caught herself, closing her eyes as she harshly chastised herself. She had recently led a group to split from the Pantheon for doing such things, and now here she was, almost committing the crime she abhorred. She felt disgusted by herself

As she started to berate herself, Odin's words from their last meeting came to mind, "Temptation is not the issue, for no one can escape its whispers. The standard by which we are judged by is how we fight its calling." She had taken those words to heart, and called upon them now to help strengthen her.

Elsa took a few more calming breaths, clearing her mind of the urge to claim the innocent girl. Once she had regained her composure, she opened her eyes to look the other girl over, just to have her breath catch for an entirely different reason. 'How did I miss this before?' Elsa questioned herself. The girl's duel nature was impossible to miss, and her deep blue eyes…

"Vidar," Elsa angrily muttered under her breath. The girl was looking in her direction, and Elsa briefly wondered if she could see her. It wouldn't be impossible, she supposed, not if she was the daughter of a mortal and a god. The girl's father must have hidden mother and child, it would explain how she had been caught unaware. Elsa took one last look at the girl, holding eye contact for a moment before leaving the hall. She needed to have a word with her brother.


	5. Introductions

"Vidar," Elsa shouted into the forest outside the castle. "Vidar! Show yourself!"

"Normally this festival relaxes you," she heard someone say behind her. Elsa turned to see her brother leaning against one of the trees, arms crossed against his chest. He was dressed as a traditional Highlander, complete with a green plaid kilt with a red sash. He had tried to tame his short black hair, but some rebellious strands were sticking up. There was laughter dancing in his deep blue eyes and the reminder served to increase her temper.

"That's what happens when I run into a niece I didn't even know existed," Elsa snarled back. The mirth immediately left his eyes as he straightened. "Why didn't you tell me you had a child? With the daughter of the Highlander King no less!"

"She's here," Vidar demanded as he started to panic. "I have to leave."

"Leave? Don't you even wish to know how she is," Elsa asked, anger disappearing into confusion at his reaction.

"I… I can't…" he stammered as he started to back away from his older sister. "Her mother is dead because of me… I… I have to leave before they come for her too…"

"Vidar," Elsa called out, but it was too late. Her brother had disappeared and left her standing alone in the forest. She vowed to track him down for answers as soon as the festival was over.

* * *

The next day was the start of the festival. The morning consisted of a ceremony at the temple of the Winter Goddess. The Hound Master's family stood with the King's in the temple proper as the priests conducted the ceremony. They were all dressed in outfits of white to represent snow.

Although none of the mortals present could see her, Elsa dressed up for her festival. Her hair, normally in a loose braid was instead in a regal bun. She was in a shimmering light blue dress made of ice that glittered in the sun and a cape made from pure white snow. Strapped to her back was a quiver of arrows and her legendary black longbow.

Despite her inner turmoil, the devotion and piety of the people of DunBroch touched her heart and helped to temporarily lift her spirits. At the end of the ceremony, Elsa watched as the king and the Hound Master approached her altar and each placed an offering. She sent a gentle, icy breeze through the village to show she accepted the gifts, causing a cheer to rise from the villagers.

The temple emptied as the villagers spread out to start the celebration in her honor. Elsa watched with amusement as kegs of ale were brought out and placed liberally throughout the village as games of skill and sparring rings were set up. She still wondered what any of this had to do with her or winter, but shrugged it off with a smile. It was quirks like this that had endeared the Highlanders to her. She just hoped that they took care this year to ensure only those with the proper sobriety level participated in the archery contest. Not that last year's incident hadn't been amusing, and there hadn't been any major injuries…

Elsa chuckled to herself as she turned around to face her altar to discover two had held back from joining the festivities. She froze in place when she saw it was the girl she'd become instantly smitten with, Anna, and her recently discovered niece, Alex.

"Go on," Alex was saying to Anna.

"I can't just walk up there," Anna hissed at her, eyes never leaving the Winter Goddess' altar.

"Why not?"

"There has to be some sort of ritual or ceremony or something…"

"Why?"

"Don't you know how these things work," Anna huffed indignantly as Elsa moved to stand in front of the girls. "No one can just walk up and start talking to a Goddess!"

Alex's eyes snapped to Elsa's before focusing on her friend. She cocked her head to the side like a curious puppy and asked, "So you're saying someone has to introduce you to her before you can talk to her?"

"Yes," Anna exclaimed, exasperated that it had taken her friend this long to understand.

"Ok," Alex replied before turning and making eye contact with Elsa. "Cailleach, this is my friend Anna-"

"What are you doing," Anna demanded, interrupting her.

"Introducing you," Alex answered matter-of-factly. Elsa had to cover her mouth with her hand to stifle a laugh at Anna's incredulous face.

"You can't do it! It has to be a priest or someone like that!"

Alex curiously looked her friend over again before stating, "I'm a child of winter, and I have the mark to prove it."

Elsa's breath caught in her throat as Alex turned around and pulled the collar down on the back of her dress. In between her shoulder blades was a mark that looked like a snowflake with a Celtic knot in the center of it. It was the symbol she had taken for herself and only shown to her most loyal followers. It was also the mark given to those who served her. '_Vidar_,' she inwardly cursed, '_how could you?_' She wondered if the girl understood what that mark really meant, the life of service her father committed her to.

"I wondered what that was," Anna said bashfully as Alex adjusted her dress and faced her again. "What does it meant to be a 'child of winter'?"

"It's complicated," Alex sighed sadly. Elsa felt her heart wrench, so she had some idea. "But basically it means I serve the Winter Goddess, so I can introduce you, if you want."

"Ok," Anna replied after a slight hesitation.

"As I was saying this is my friend Anna," Alex continued, turning again to face Elsa. "She comes from a village outside of Arendelle, and her people call you Skadi. She's kind of clumsy and she rambles a lot," Alex was interrupted again as Anna elbowed her in side and this time Elsa couldn't hold back a laugh that she hid behind her hand, "but she's a really good person and has a gift for you in honor of your festival."

Alex took a few steps back, giving Anna space in front of the altar and, unbeknownst to her, the Goddess of Winter herself. "Um… hi," she began nervously, "my name is Anna. Which you already know, since you're a Goddess, and all and Alex just told you it... I'm sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous, and when I'm not, so I guess I ramble all the time…" The sound of a throat clearing caused her to stop talking and turn around. She saw Alex smirking at her and gesturing to the doll in her hand. "Oh! Right! Your gift," Anna exclaimed, turning back around. She had brought her favorite toy to give to as an offering. It was a stuffed snowman her Nan had made for her before she'd passed away. Anna walked up and placed the doll on the altar next to the gifts her father and the king had left.

"His name is Olaf and he likes warm hugs," Anna said softly. "I've seen how some people don't like you and call you names. I know how sad I get if someone doesn't like me, I couldn't imagine having whole cities hating me. Whenever I'm sad, a hug from Olaf helps me feel better. I hope he helps you feel better whenever someone makes you feel sad."

Elsa could see Anna starting to fidget, so she sent a gentle breeze. A smile lit up her face, causing Elsa's heart to melt a little. She watched Anna scamper down to Alex before turning and looking over the snowman Anna had left. She was so enchanted by the heartfelt gift she didn't hear Anna leave or Alex hesitantly step forward.

"Thank you for listening to her," a soft voice said, startling her. She quickly turned around to see Alex standing where Anna had stood, head down, twisting her fingers nervously. After a beat of silence, she raised her head slightly and made eye contact.

"You can see me," Elsa stated, and Alex mutely nodded in response. "Do you know who I am?" Another nod. "I don't just mean as what domain I preside over. Do you know who I am to you?" Still just a nod in response. Frustrated at the lack of a vocal response, Elsa felt the anger from the night before come bubbling up and angrily demanded, "Speak child!"

"Why doesn't my father want me," Alex asked in a small voice choked with tears she tried to hold back. Elsa's heart broke for the girl, and she instantly regretted using such a harsh tone. As she tried to come up with an appropriate response, the girl asked, "Is it because I couldn't save Mother?"

"No, dear one," Elsa quickly answered, kneeling in front of the girl, putting a hand on her shoulder as she tried to come up with an answer. There was such sadness in the child, and she tried so hard to be brave. "It is his failure to protect you both that eats at him. He thinks that he can protect you best by keeping away."

"How can he protect me if he isn't here?"

"That's a good question," Elsa replied.

"Does he hate me?"

"No, just the opposite, child. He just isn't good at showing it."

"Do you hate me," she asked, finally meeting the goddess' eye, a tear escaping.

"No! Why would you think that," Elsa asked.

"I can sense what others are feeling," she explained. "I saw how angry you were last night when you first saw me."

Elsa looked her over, trying to best explain that it was her brother's deception, not her, she was angry at when she saw the girl's lip quiver. Giving up on words, Elsa pulled her into her arms and whispered comforting words as the girl sobbed.

Once she had calmed down, Elsa softly said, "I was not mad at you last night. I was taken by surprise when I saw you and I was frustrated at my brother for hiding you from me." She pulled back slightly, placed a hand on Alex's chin, and gently raised her tear stained face to make eye contact. Once she saw Alex was looking at her, she continued, "I promise you, dear one, I do not hate you."

Alex gave her a small smile, before looking away nervously.

"What's wrong, child?"

"I… I saw your feelings for Anna," she answered hesitatingly. When she saw Elsa stiffen, she quickly added, "I also saw that you could never hurt her."

"You don't know that," Elsa said rising and turning away, disgusted with herself.

"Yes I do," Alex said with certainty, causing Elsa to look back at her. "I told you, I can read others, and I know you'd never hurt her. Unlike the other who was there."

"What other," Elsa demanded, feeling her anger starting to rise.

"I don't know his name," Alex said, taking a step back in fear from Elsa's reaction.

Silently chastising herself, Elsa forced herself to calm down before turning to completely face the young girl. "What can you tell me about him? Can you describe him?"

"Chaos," Alex answered. "There was so much anger coming from him I couldn't read anything else. I'm sorry," she said, dropping her head in shame. "I should have gotten a better look at him, but he disappeared as soon as you entered the feast."

"It's alright, dear one," Elsa said soothingly. "You've done enough to help me know who it was." Hans, she thought bitterly. Adelric's youngest brother was the only deity she knew who fit the description of 'chaos'. That Anna had caught his attention was not good. Elsa and the Northern Gods had split from the Pantheon in protest. The Northern Gods, led by herself, believed that the mortals should be left alone with minimal interference from the Gods to forge their own paths. That included abstaining from the practice of 'claiming' any mortal that caught their fancy, with or without their permission. She did not oppose a deity taking on a mortal as a partner, but only if they agreed to it. Taking without consent was a practice Adelric and his brothers reveled in. Knowing Hans, he would soon be trying to make his claim on Anna, dooming the girl.

Frustrated, Elsa started to pace. Either she protects this girl from Hans and claims her, casting her as a hypocrite and dooming her cause just as she'd started making progress in swaying the rest of the Pantheon to follow suit; or she stands by and does nothing as Hans claims this poor girl and uses her until she is turned into an empty husk.

"Will you protect her," Alex asked, looking up at her with pleading eyes. "She's my best friend and I don't want him to hurt her and I can't keep her safe anymore…"

"Don't worry, I'll figure out a way to keep her safe, I promise," Elsa swore to the young girl, even if she had no idea how she was going to do it.

"Will you use your bow like in the legends," she asked, looking excitedly at the weapon on her back.

"Those are just stories, what makes you think they are true," Elsa asked with an amused smile.

The girl shrugged and looked down before mumbling, "Aunt Merida told a story where two lovers would meet in their dreams. I asked if it was real, and she told me, 'Legends are lessons, they ring with truth.' Grandpappy laughed and said something about them being more than just lessons sometimes and Grandmother didn't look happy."

"She was just tired, I'm sure," Elsa said with a grin, imagining the queen's reaction.

"Oh," Alex replied with a contemplative look. "I thought it was because Aunt Merida turned Grandmother into a bear a few years ago and almost wasn't able to turn her back."

"You know about that?"

"Uncle Hamish told me the story my first day in DunBroch."

"Of course he did," she said with a laugh. She looked the girl over, taking a deeper look than she did the night before. She saw the devotion to Anna and Kristoff, as well as the deep sadness of someone who has lost so much.

"May I ask you something," Alex requested hesitantly, unable to maintain eye contact with the Goddess.

"Of course child," Elsa replied kindly, once again kneeling in front of Alex and gently coaxing her to make eye contact.

"My mother… is she… um… is she…" Alex's voice trailed off as tears started again.

"Your mother is at peace," Elsa answered, guessing what Alex wanted to know, lightly stroking the girl's cheek with the back of her hand. "She's happy to know that you've made it safely to DunBroch and is very proud of you."

"Really," she asked with hopeful eyes.

"Really," Elsa answered, wiping the tears from the girl's face. "Now, there seems to be a party going on down there and it looks like your two friends are waiting for you."

Alex took a quick look behind her and saw Anna and Kristoff standing at the mouth of the temple. "Can I come back and talk to you another time," she asked, biting her lip nervously.

"Of course, dear one, any time you want," Elsa said with a smile. She was surprised when the child threw her arms around her neck in a hug, but quickly recovered and returned it. After a minute, Alex let go and ran out of the temple to meet up with her friends. Elsa watched them take off, and with a smile observed the celebration being held in her honor.

It faded, however, when her gaze settled on the forest, just outside the town's borders. Standing there was Hans, watching Anna with a predatory gleam in his eyes. Sensing eyes on him, he turned see Elsa staring him down. Instead of looking intimidated, he gave her a smug smile before waving and disappearing from view.

* * *

Elsa left her temple while her festival was still in full swing to get answers from her brother. She made her way to an obscure shrine, hidden deep in the woods. It was the first time she'd ever been to it, and she noted how it was small, even for a minor deity. She scanned the room seeing it was empty except for an altar with a small tripod brazier next to it. Behind the altar was a life sized statue of her brother. Elsa waited for a moment before saying, "Are you really going to make me order you to appear before you'll show your face?"

"Honestly, I think I prefer the thought of you begging," she heard her brother say from behind as a dark green flame appeared in the brazier.

"Are you finally ready to tell me what is going on," Elsa asked as she faced her brother. She noted he had changed from his earlier outfit into his armor and had his great sword attached to his back.

She raised an eyebrow, and Vidar quickly explained, "I chased off Hans. I didn't know if he had anyone else here to help him, but I didn't want to take the chance, not so close the city."  
"You mean to your daughter," Elsa demanded, not able to fully keep the anger out of her voice.

"That too," he admitted, head down. Seeing her brother look so defeated melted away some of her anger.

"Vidar," Elsa said softly, "why didn't you tell me about her?"

"Because I thought if no one knew about her, he couldn't find her."  
"Who?"  
"Adelric," Vidar answered, throat tight. "I had to protect her, like I had to protect her mother."

"Aili," she guessed. "I always knew you had a soft spot for her, but I didn't know you felt that strongly…"

"I rescued Aili from him when he sought to force his claim on her," he answered emphatically, fire in his eyes. "I loved her and he knew it! That bastard was going to force himself on her just to get to me as revenge for his family."  
"You could have told me," Elsa sighed, "I could have helped you. Gone to Odin…"

"You know he wouldn't have done anything," Vidar spat, "and you couldn't have protected her, we're too far south and near his lands."

As much as she hated to admit it, her brother was right. The Highlands marked the border of where the lands belonging to the Northern Gods ended and the Gods of the South began.

"You still should have told me, I would have helped you," Elsa countered.

"I couldn't risk it," he answered. "This was before we started our own Pantheon; if what I'd done come to light, Adelric would have accused me kidnapping her and Odin would have ordered your head along with mine for going along with it. Either that or you would have been ordered to stop me…"

"Neither of which would have an appealing outcome," Elsa agreed. "So is it fair to assume that the attack on the caravan was the urgent matter that demanded your attention?"

Vidar mutely nodded, seeming to gather himself before answering, "Just before our little girl turned one was when we separated ourselves from the South. There were rumors of a cult worshipping the Summer God forming in your lands. They were safest there, as far away from Adelric and his brothers as I could get them, but only if I didn't draw any attention to them…"

"So you stayed away," Elsa finished.

"It was the only way, but then somehow they found her. I made arrangements for her to return home so her family could protect her from them, and I could help protect them from the Southern Gods since crossing into DunBroch would be an act of aggression."

"But then something happened," Elsa asked.

"I still can't prove it, but I know Adelric is involved with the caravan attack," Vidar answered. "And if I ever find out how-"  
"You will do nothing," Elsa interrupted.

"What," her brother growled, anger flashing in his eyes.

"That's just the kind of reaction their trying to draw out of us."

"So you would have me do nothing," Vidar shot back, "after what he did?"

"Yes," Elsa shouted back, "I will not have your pride draw us into a war!"

"You think this is about pride? What happened to justice?"

"You don't want justice, you want blood, and I won't allow your temper to take the death of one innocent woman and transform it into the deaths of thousands of innocent bystanders!"

They stared each other down before Vidar turned and angrily punched a wall. "Damn it all! I failed her, I failed them both and now I can't even avenge them." He sank to his knees and rested his weight on his arms before his emotions broke through, causing him to sob. Heart broken, Elsa kneeled next to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, trying to comfort him as he broke.

"You can still protect her," Elsa said once Vidar had calmed down.

"No, right now I can't draw any attention to her, I can't let them know she's mine."

"Vidar… They know Aili had a daughter…"  
"But not with who," he quickly countered. "If I'm here, they'll know and then they'll send someone after her. The only way I can protect her is if I'm not there to make them question. But you… you have a temple here, you could look after her."  
"Vidar…

"Promise me Elsa," he emphatically as he gripped her shoulders, "swear you will protect her and I'll give my word that even if I find out Adelric personally slit Aili's throat I will not go after him without your consent."

"Then you have my word I will protect your daughter and look out for her," Elsa promised with a heavy sigh.

"Good," Vidar breathed shakily clearly relieved. "I need to go, need to make sure Hans isn't trying to sneak back and go after that girl."

"Anna," the Goddess asked, anger starting to build in her.

"Don't worry, I'll keep him away from her physically."

"Physically?"

"Dreams really aren't my area, my spirit's never been granted any kind of control in that realm. Belle and I aren't on the best of terms," Vidar explained sheepishly at his sister's raised eyebrow.

"Even with helping her love?"

"She's still sensitive about the… um… interaction I had with her sister…"

"Of course," Elsa answered rolling her eyes. Yet another of example of her brother's wandering eye getting him into trouble. She had to personally beg for Belle to stop tormenting his dreams after he had started avoiding her youngest sister when their relationship came to an end.

"And you think Belle would grant him access," she finally asked.

"He's chaos, he takes what he wants," Vidar shot back. "Besides aren't they related somehow?"

"Probably," Elsa sighed as she and Vidar stood. "Honestly, everyone is so thickly interconnected I've lost track of them all."

"True enough, and you're the young upstart with the new blood," Vidar answered with a small laugh. "For what it's worth I'll keep watch over Anna while she's here and see about finding someone else to keep an eye on her when she heads north, but you may want to make sure he isn't messing with her dreams."

"I will, and Vidar," Elsa called out as he started to walk away, making sure she had his attention. "You don't have to avoid her forever, she wants to know you."

"I'll… I'll think about it," he said thickly before turning and vanishing. Elsa sighed and stood there for a minute before an idea came to her, something Vidar had mentioned and Alex and unintentionally alluded to. A plan started formulating on how she could to protect Anna without forcing a claim on her. She smiled her herself before heading out into the night to set her plan in motion.

* * *

Anna was having that dream again, she knew it was a dream because Shadow was here. She hadn't seen Shadow since Kristoff sent her away, but she started appearing in her dreams recently. They would spend the night running though sunny fields and playing, things she wished she could have done with her in real life.

Lately though, a dark fog had been encroaching in on her dreams. It started to blot out the light, casting everything in its wake in murky darkness.

Shadow always tried to steer her away from it, but it was getting harder. Lately, the fog had been calling her, trying to lure her into its mists. Shadow always stopped her if she got too close, but she saw that somehow it was starting to hurt her friend. She didn't know how it was happening, but somehow the fog was finding a way to drain the strength from the dire wolf. Tonight she was going to put a stop to it; tonight she was entering the fog to chase the presence away. She stood at the boundary of the fog, trying to work up the courage to step into it.

"That's right," the voice whispered. "Come to me and I promise your wolf will be left alone."

Shadow had latched onto her wrist and was trying to pull her away.

"I'm doing this for you," Anna said, kneeling to face her friend. "I want it to stop hurting you and this is the only way." Shadow just kept pulling at her sleeve, trying to move her away from the murky darkness, whining as she pulled. "I'll be ok, I promise," she tried to assure the frantic wolf, but to no avail. She kept pulling against Shadow, knowing that soon, thanks to the fog, her strength would give out, allowing Anna to pull away.

Just as Anna was about to break free, she noticed a light shining behind Shadow on the other side of the forest of her dream world that hadn't been there before. Anna was frozen in surprise, which gave her companion the opening she needed to drag the human away. Anna could hear the voice raging at her departure, but she was too entranced by the light to pay any attention to it.

Anna and Shadow broke through the tree line to find themselves in the heart of the dream forest where the light seemed to be coming from. It was an empty field bordered on all sides by trees. In the middle of the field was a girl who looked to be her age standing on a pile of snow. Satisfied Anna wouldn't run back to the surrounding darkness, Shadow dropped her arm and collapsed into a sitting position, panting heavily. The girl looked happy to see Anna and shyly waved her over.

Anna wanted to, but was frozen in place; the other girl was beautiful. She had hair as white as the snow she was standing on fashioned in a braid that hung over her left shoulder and onto her dark blue dress. Her skin was light and unblemished, and her ice blue eyes captivated the normally rambunctious girl. A smirk graced her beautiful mouth at her effect on the auburn haired girl and she started making her way towards the pair.

She stood there, mystified by the other presence, when she felt something shove her forward. Startled, she looked behind her to see Shadow head butting her towards the girl. "Knock that off," Anna hissed at the wolf. She could've sworn the wolf rolled her eyes before head butting her again. Shadow was successful this time, pushing her forward a step just as the blond haired girl got close, causing Anna to slam into her, sending them crashing to the ground.

"I'm so sorry," Anna quick apologized, looking down at the girl who broke her fall. "My wolf was just being annoying, she kept trying to push me forward to talk to you, which is stupid. Not that talking to you would be stupid, just that I can be, and most of the kids my age don't want to talk to me, especially pretty ones like you. Cause you are, pretty not stupid, course you probably already know that… I ramble a lot… Mama calls it a nervous tick but I just think it's really annoying and I have no idea what to do right now…"

"You could start by standing up," the girl answered with a smirk, laughter dancing in her eyes.

"Oh right, yes, sorry," Anna said as she scampered up. She turned to glare at the wolf that had pushed her just to yell out in distress. "Shadow," Anna exclaimed, kneeling at her side. Her friend had curled up into herself, rolling and whimpering in pain.

The blond knelt next to Anna and placed a hand on Shadow before closing her eyes and concentrating.

"It's the fog," Anna said around in a lump that had formed in her throat. "Something in it has been hurting her." Rationally she knew that this was only a dream and the wolf that was at her feet was not the pup she'd rescued in the forest weeks ago. That didn't make the stab of fear lodged in her chest hurt any less.

"The fog won't trouble you anymore," the girl said with an authority that seemed to clash with her youth. Anna was about to comment about it when she noticed the fog around the forest was dissipating and color was returning. As the fog left, Anna saw the wolf relaxed until she didn't appear to be in pain.

"How'd you do that," Anna asked, awed.

The girl just shrugged, never taking her eyes off Shadow. After another minute she whispered to the wolf, "Death will not come for you this day. Rest, I will keep watch." Shadow lifted her head to nuzzle the blond next to her, then doing the same thing to Anna, before lowering her head to rest.

"She will be fine," the blond said, tentatively placing a hand on Anna's arm.

Anna ripped her eyes away from her friend to the girl next to her. Relief coursing through her, she acted without thinking and launched herself into the other girl's arms. She held the girl tightly to her, trying not to cry for a long minute before realizing she just manhandled the girl who saved her best friend. Embarrassed, she went to pull away just for the other girl to grip her tightly. Happy to have not completely blown it, Anna held the embrace for a moment longer before easing out of it. "Thank you for saving my friend," Anna said thickly. "I know this is just a dream and none of this is real…"

"It's as real as you believe it to be," the blond said with a smile. "My name is Elsa."

"I'm Anna. You can't be real, you're too pretty."

"So you said earlier," Elsa said with a smirk. "Am I not allowed to be?"

"It's not that," Anna said, looking down, feeling a blush cover her face. "It's just that I have a hard time making friends with other girls, especially pretty ones. Probably because I'm so clumsy and I'm not pretty like them."

She got interrupted by a huffing sound coming from Shadow. She looked down to see the dire wolf looking at her with an almost exasperated expression.

"I don't think your friend agrees," Elsa observed, "and neither do I. I think you're beautiful."

"Oh… Thank you," Anna stuttered out, the blush on her face heating.

"Now, we can sit here and I can continue to try and dispel this low opinion you have of yourself or we can spend our time getting to know each other better."

Anna looked around as an idea came to her. "Do you wanna build a snowman," she asked with a large smile.

Elsa returned her smile as she took her hands and said, "I would love to."

* * *

A/N: Here's an extra long chapter that was initially going to be 2, but I couldn't find a good place to break it up. Also, it's kind of an apology since I don't know when I'm gonna be able to update again. I'm gonna try to update soon, but with the curve balls life keeps insisting on throwing right now, I don't know when it'll be. I promise it'll be as soon as I can! Thank you again for all the follows/favs/and reviews!


	6. The Meeting

Several years after her niece had settled in DunBroch, Elsa called together the Gods of the North to her temple on the North Mountain. They needed to discuss a course of action to avoided Alderic's latest attempts at war. Although she'd been able to counter and outmaneuver him so far, she wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to avoid a confrontation.

The temple complex was huge, a testament to the devotion the Norse had for her. It was made entirely out of white granite, imported from neighboring countries and hauled up the steep mountain side. The sanctuary dominated the temple, with its high vaulted ceilings and intricate stained glass windows boasting images from her legends lining the walls leading to the altar. At the front of the sanctuary behind the altar was a large statue of the Winter Goddess. The statue depicted her facing the sanctuary, her face angled down with a small smile as if to welcome whoever entered to pay her tribute. Her left hand was raised in a welcoming gesture while in her right she held a long sword, blade pointed downwards with the tip resting on the ground. Her bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back and at her feet prowled her brother Vidar in wolf form.

Attached to the temple by a long hallway that was made of thick ice was the Goddess' personal complex made from the same white granite as the temple. The only mortals who were allowed to enter were the Children of Winter, not even the High Priest of the temple complex was granted access. It was the Children of Winter who would maintain the two story complex as well as see to any needs the Goddess might have. On the main floor were several small sitting rooms all connecting to a large feast hall. The only thing on the second floor was a large bedroom that led to a balcony that overlooked the mountain side. No one, not even the Children of Winter, was allowed access.

It was in the great hall Elsa had assembled the deities. It was similar to Odin's, but not nearly as massive. Along the walls were several large fireplaces with fires blazing. The cold may have had no effect on the Winter Goddess, but she knew that wasn't the case for the others and had the fires lit as a courtesy. The deities had filled the large table in the center of the room, enjoying the feast Elsa had set up. Once most of the food had been eaten, Elsa had started the discussion she was dreading. They needed to come up with a strategy to counter Alderic. It was important they be in agreement, this was too important for there to be any discord on the matter.

That had been several hours ago.

Elsa sighed wearily, rubbing her temples as the deities around her bickered. She was starting to understand why Odin always looked angry, she'd have to see if he had any advice for dealing with these situations. If he was still talking to her, that is.

The discussion had gone off course and turned into a shouting match. Taking a page out of Odin's book, Elsa suddenly stood up and shouted, "ENOUGH! We're not getting anywhere like this! You all seem more interested in insulting each other than focusing on the situation at hand!"

"Said the one who is making us look like hypocrites," countered Belle. The assembly fell silent in shock at the accusation.

"How dare you," Elsa demanded angrily, leaning on her arms over the table, face red.

"I have seen what you've been doing within my realm with that girl," the Goddess responded coolly, raising an eyebrow. The color drained from Elsa's face, and she immediately tried to defend her actions. Before she could speak, however, Belle quickly spoke. "I don't mean to be insubordinate, but the Southern Gods are also aware of it, and have informed Odin. They say you have claimed the young Norse girl as your own, making you a liar who is just looking for an excuse to start a war."

"You know that's not true!"

"I do," the regal brunette agreed, "and I told Odin as much when he came to me for answers."

"He came to you before me," Elsa demanded, anger returning.

"Can you blame him?"

"I suppose not," the Winter Goddess conceded as she collapsed into her chair. Her anger was gone as quickly as it had come, replaced with an ever present exhaustion. "I trust you also told Odin how Hans invaded her dreams as a fog in an attempt to lure her to him?"

"I did. I'm not going to betray you," Belle insisted, allowing Elsa to see the truth of her words. "I'm just trying to warn you how Alderic is contorting this."

"Thank you," the Winter Goddess replied wearily. Elsa looked around the table before waving everyone off. "Clearly no decision is being made today. Each of you return to your realms and I will think on our next move. Remain vigilant, our enemies are making it clear what their intentions are. _May your path always bit lit in the dark_," Elsa said, dismissing the deities with the traditional closing words. As everyone stood, she walked over to her old friend.

Elsa felt shame as she approached Belle; she knew there was no reason to mistrust her, but she was hardly thinking straight lately. Swallowing what was left of her pride, she walked up to her old friend and said, "I need to apologize. All this talk of war has me on edge… We've been friends for too long for me to assume you would turn against me."

"Well, it probably didn't help that I intentionally worded it to sound like I was," the brunette replied with a playful smirk which only grew when Elsa started scowling in annoyance. "I had to get your attention somehow," Belle laughed. "You were so wrapped up in your impersonation of Odin nothing else would have gotten through."

"I forgot what a bitch you could be," Elsa sighed, a smile creeping on her face.

"It's a personality quirk," her friend replied with a smile. "By the way, I can see why that girl caught your eye. She's beautiful."

"Has Anna been to your altar," Elsa asked doing her best to force down her spike of jealousy. Anna had a good heart, of course she would honor all the gods, and there was no reason for her to be jealous… right?

"No, I visited her a couple times in her dreams when you couldn't be there," Belle said with an innocent smile, doing her best to contain her laughter. All bets were off, however, when Elsa's eye started twitching. She practically doubled over laughing at her friend trying to hide her jealousy, causing the loitering deities to look over at them. "I was curious at who could've been fortunate enough to catch your eye," Belle explained once she'd calmed down enough to talk. "It was clear once I met her, and after what Hans pulled I wanted to make sure she stayed safe. There's no need to be jealous," Belle said with a playful smile.

"I hate you," Elsa huffed out.

"You love me," Belle countered. She looked Elsa over as she carefully chose her words. "Hers aren't the only dreams I've taken a personal interest to protect from Hans."

"Oh," Elsa replied, distractedly looking out over the Gods and Goddesses who were slowly departing.

"I've also kept an eye on Alex." Elsa's face snapped over to hers, concern lacing her features.

"Has Hans or his brothers made a move on her, as well?"

"Not yet, but only because I haven't let them anywhere near her," Belle said with a smile. "Don't worry, I'll keep Alex safe for you."

"Who's Alex," Vidar asked, joining the Goddesses. "Another abandoned soul you've taken under your wing?" He knew he'd said something wrong when the room was immediately coated in a layer of ice. Belle had a look of shocked horror in her eyes and his sister was seething in anger. Alex was not the first child he had left for the mother to raise, but she was the first one he had actively avoided. Any of the others could call out to him and he would be there. Elsa sympathized with his reasons for avoiding her, but that didn't stop the anger forming at the hurt he was causing his youngest with his abandonment.

"Alex is the daughter of Aili of DunBroch, the daughter you've abandoned," Elsa said angrily through clenched teeth. Vidar's eyes went wide in shock, he had no idea his daughter went by that name.

"I don't know what to say," Vidar said quietly as he lowered his head in shame. All eyes were trained on the three deities.

"You could start by acknowledging her," Elsa suggested, forcing herself to calm down. Vidar wanted to, he wanted more than anything to raise his little girl.

He first noticed Aili when she would go to his sister's temple in DunBroch. She would always leave an offering not just for Elsa, but for him as well. He was touched she would think of him, most didn't. Vidar started to fall in love with the quiet Highland girl, but vowed to stay away. She deserved a normal happy life, which would have been impossible with him. That plan changed when he saw Alderic was moving to claim her as his own. It was no secret how Vidar felt about the young royal, and Alderic blamed him for being the catalyst that led to the first war between the Northern and Southern Gods, the same war that killed his parents and stripped him of his birthright.

The shape shifter convinced her to follow him to the Norse lands, where he took care of her. For years they were happy. He still remembered the day she told him she was pregnant, he had been ecstatic. He had been there for the birth, the only one of his children he had witnessed coming into the world. Vidar had been so proud holding his daughter, seeing she had his black hair and her mother's deep blue eyes. He swore to Aili he would always be there for both of them.

A day after his daughter turned a year old he broke his promise. Things had become tense after their separation and the rumors of the Summer Cult grew more frequent, he couldn't take any chances, not with the lives of his wife and little girl at stake. The Summer God had gotten bold and Vidar had no doubts as to what he would do if he ever found them.

The day she turned a year old he spent the entire day with her, trying to cram a lifetime of memories into those few precious hours. Aili somehow knew what he was planning and confronted him before he could slip away. Unable to hold back his sorrow, he told her everything as tears ran down his face. Vidar expected Aili's anger, what he didn't expect was her acceptance. She only made one request, and that was to protect their daughter, no matter what.

That's what he had to done her entire life by staying away to keep Alderic from finding her. It was why he had put his sister's mark on her, so no other god could claim her. It was what he had to do now, even though it would kill him.

"I-I won't," Vidar choked out. "I will not acknowledge her as my child."

He met his sister's eyes and wished he hadn't, they were full of anger and disappointment. He knew there was no way he could defend his actions, but he needed his sister to understand. "I won't let them use her to get to me. This is the only way I know to keep her safe."

"You would disavow your daughter in front of the Pantheon," Belle asked, shocked disappointment in her tone.

He forced a blank expression and pushed back threatening tears before turning to her and asking, "What daughter?"

"Vidar," Elsa said, disappointment lacing her voice.

A voice from the assembled Gods spoke up hesitatingly, "If she isn't acknowledged…"

Elsa quickly sent a glare out to the deities, she knew the law. Any child not acknowledged by their divine parent could not be recognized as having any of the rights or protections given to members of the Pantheon. They existed in a limbo between humanity and divinity: too mortal to be considered a god and too divine to simply live a normal human life. Most who went unacknowledged were hunted down by other gods as a precaution.

Elsa sent a glare to her brother before announcing to the room, "I acknowledge her as my child. Any who dare question this may look and see the mark she wears on her back."

None of them wanted to risk Elsa's wrath, and readily accepted her claim. Belle put a comforting hand on Elsa's shoulder and sent her a sad smile before departing.

Elsa fought to keep her emotions at bay as she watched the room empty. Once she was alone with her brother, she turned to him and demanded, "Why?"

"Because I'm not strong enough to protect her," Vidar admitted, looking defeated, "but you can. This is all I can do for her."

"She needs you," Elsa insisted.

"Alderic could find her through me," Vidar responded. "I love her too much to put her in that kind of danger. I'm sorry."

She watched her brother trudge out, shoulders hunched. She sank wearily into a nearby chair, an exhausted sigh slipping out of her.

"Damn you Alderic," Elsa muttered angrily. "Damn you and your brothers to Hel."


	7. A Peaceful Moment

A/N: The song mentioned is the one from Brave that Merida and her mother sing together during the storm. I got the title from the soundtrack

* * *

"… and you should have seen Kristoff's face when he stood up, completely covered in mud," Anna said around a laughter she couldn't hold back any longer.

Elsa was sitting against a tree with Anna leaning against her between her legs. Elsa's arms were wrapped around the auburn haired girl as Anna told her about her trip. Now that she was seventeen her father had allowed her to travel with Kristoff to a nearby town on village business. Anna admitted to not having a clue as to what the point of the trip was, she was too excited to worry about those details.

"But by far the most entertaining thing happened at the tavern," Anna said with a huge grin.

"Would it be easier for you just to show me," Elsa asked with a smile. She loved seeing Anna so happy.

"Probably," Anna laughed, "I'm not sure I could tell it without forgetting a few of the details." Anna closed her eyes and concentrated. Elsa had taught her how to project her memories in her dreams, it was easier sometimes for the excitable girl to show Elsa her memories and narrate them than to tell them.

The memory started with Anna sitting at a small round table near the back of a cramped, poorly lit tavern. There was a fireplace roaring off to the right, and the cluster of tables surrounding it was packed with men. Elsa's nose wrinkled as the smell of the place made itself known, a combination of stale beer and vomit with a touch of rotten meat.

"Yeah, that was my reaction when we first walked in," Anna said sympathetically as she looked up at Elsa.

"Lovely," Elsa responded with a grimace. How could anyone voluntarily visit an establishment like this?

The memory continued, showing Kristoff talking to the owner, haggling for a room to rent for the night. Anna had been distracted and hadn't noticed the man approaching her until he blocked her view of her brother.

"Now what's a pretty thing like you doin in a place like this," the obviously intoxicated man asked, leering down at her. Elsa instinctually tightened her arms around Anna and glared at the projection. She could sense Anna's thoughts and feelings towards the drunkard, how she wanted him to leave and how uncomfortable he was making her. The goddess vowed to remember his face.

"I-I'm just passing through with my brother," Anna answered uncertainly. She didn't want to cause any problems for Kristoff, but she wanted to distance herself from this man as soon as possible.

"You should come join me for a drink, girlie," the man said as he took the seat next to Anna and put an arm around her shoulder. Elsa was furious, she was barely able to restrain herself from leaving Anna to go after this sleaze. Barely.

"N-no thank you," Anna stuttered, hoping Kristoff would return soon.

"Come on, I promise I'll show you a good time," he replied, her hesitance not dissuading him in the least.

"The lady said no," said a voice from behind. Both the table occupants turned to see a short man with blue eyes and blonde hair tied back in a ponytail standing there. Anna recognized him as the bard who had joined their travel party shortly after they had left their village that morning. He had kept to himself as they traveled, spending most of the trip looking around and strumming the lute that was now strapped to his back.

Elsa immediately recognized him, and fought a smirk. She hadn't seen him in a long time and wondered when he'd show up again.

"Back off boy, the girl's mine," the drunken man slurred angrily. He stood up, towering over the bard by a good foot and a half.

The bard looked around the drunk to give Anna a once over before facing the man again. "I think she disagrees."

"Sorry, I couldn't hear you from way down there." He was laughing at his own joke before doubling over and screaming in pain.

Anna shifted to get a look at what was going on. The bard had wrapped the arm that was closest to the drunk around his shoulders while the other was in between the drunk's legs and had something in his hand that he was twisting. Realization dawned on Anna what he was holding and she crossed her legs as she was hit with sympathy pangs. She may not have the same parts as the man, but that didn't mean she couldn't pity him a little.

"Now that we're the same height you'll be able to hear me," the bard said conversationally as he led the drunk towards that exit. "Something to remember for future reference, no means no. Any questions," he asked as he stopped at the door. The drunk desperately shook his head no. "Good," the bard replied before kicking the door open and throwing him out. He turned back to Anna and gave her a wink before disappearing into the crowd. The memory faded as Kristoff approached the table to see what was going on.

Anna was still giggling when the sound of a lute playing came from the forest behind them.

"That sounds like a song I heard in DunBroch," Anna exclaimed as her face scrunched up in confusion. "I think Alex said it translated to 'The Noble Maiden Fair.' Why would that be playing?"

"Something in the tavern must have triggered a memory of the song," Elsa lied. "I have an idea, why don't you start on our snowman while I go make sure it's nothing?" Ever since their first night together they'd always built a snowman until Anna had to wake up. It had become a tradition Elsa hadn't wanted to end.

"Ok," Anna agreed, although it was clear she wasn't happy about it.

"Don't worry, _minn dýrr_, I won't be long," Elsa promised, lightly stroking the back of her hand on Anna's cheek.

Anna's eyes lit up at the term of endearment and leaned into Elsa's hand before rising and heading off to the snow bank to get started.

Elsa watched her for a moment before heading into the forest. Sitting on a boulder not too far in strumming his lute was Beasal, God of Travelers in the same outfit he'd been wearing in Anna's memory. He liked to pose as a mortal and spend time among them. As soon as he saw her he smiled but kept on playing. Once the song was done, he put his lute to the side and faced Elsa.

"It's been a while, Winter Goddess."

"Yes it has," Elsa replied, trying to figure out what he was up to. "You've busy, I see, with your wandering. Taken a liking to taverns and picking fights with drunks?"

The shorter God laughed as he hopped down from the boulder. Standing at his full height he barely made it past Elsa's elbow. "You forgot rescuing damsels in distress."

"Clearly," Elsa deadpanned. "Tell me, what are you doing here?"

"I have good news, bad news, and the best news you could ever imagine."

"And that would be…?"

"Ok, good news: Odin is getting tired of Alderic's games and is almost ready to side with you on principal to teach that obnoxious shit a lesson. As long as Alderic or one of his brothers is the catalyst for war, you'll have his support and whatever neutral members answer his call to join you."

"That still has us going to war," Elsa said, frustrated. "I'm trying to avoid that."

"And I'm still trying to convince you to have sex with me, doesn't mean it's gonna happen," Beasal said with a smile.

Elsa let out a surprised laugh and shook her head. Anyone else and the Winter Goddess would have frozen them solid. "You've been trying that for two centuries, are you ever going to give up?"

"Probably not," he replied with a smirk.

"What's the bad news," Elsa asked, shaking her head.

The Winter Goddess got nervous when the smile disappeared from Beasal's face. He sighed before answering. "Alderic has sent someone after Anna."

"Who," the Winter Goddess demanded. "How do you know?"

"When I joined their group this morning at Vidar's request I sensed a presence following us. Whoever she was sensed me as well, because she never got close enough for me to get a good read on. She didn't reveal herself until we stopped for the night at the tavern."

"How do you know it was a she?"

"Because she left behind footprints," Beasal explained. "I don't think she expected me to come walking by so soon. I left the tavern to make sure the guy I threw out didn't do something stupid and harass some innocent girl."

"Did you find him," Elsa growled. She was still trying to figure a fitting punishment for the worm.

"Yes, he was dead."

"What," she demanded, "how?"

"He was eviscerated," Beasal answered. Elsa could tell by the God's face just how much he was down playing the brutality of the scene. "She left a trail behind her that I could follow. In the middle of all the blood and gore there were footprints, small and feminine. I followed them into the forest nearby where they ended and bear tracks took their place."

"A shape shifter?"

"That's my guess," he replied with a sigh. "I think she took on her human appearance to try and get closer to Anna and that sleaze thought he had an easy target to take out his frustrations."

"How do you know she was after Anna?"

"Mere days after Odin publically chastises Alderic for going too far and all but sides with your cause a shape shifter is following the girl the entire Pantheon knows you're trying to court. Do you really think it's a coincidence?"

"I suppose not," Elsa sighed. "Were you able to find out anything else about this shape shifter? Could it have been the Goddess of the Forest?"

"Pocahontas," Beasal asked. "Na, she spends most of her time in the Americas painting with the wind's colors or something." At Elsa's raised eyebrow, he laughed and said, "Yeah that was my reaction when she told me. What can I say? She's always been a little crazy."

"Didn't you try to have sex with her?"

"I try to have sex with every woman," Beasal laughed. "Why do you think I pose as a bard? Ladies love the appeal of a soulful poet, constantly wandering, searching for a kindred spirit to spend his life with…"

Elsa groaned and covered her face with her hands. "I don't know what's worse; the fact that you have the audacity to pull that or that it works more often than I want to know." Beasal laughed at the Winter Goddess' discomfort as he picked up his lute and started strumming a tune. Elsa lowered her hands and looked him over for a minute before asking, "So what's the last thing?"

"Hmm?"

"You said there were three things you needed to tell me. So what's this last one?"

"Oh right," he exclaimed, mirth dancing in his eyes. "I'm joining your cause, so we'll get to spend even more quality time together!"

Elsa's eyebrows shot to her hairline as she asked, "You would make a commitment? You avoid those like the plague."

"Eh, I've always had a thing about legs and yours are by far the best I've ever seen," he answered with a smirk. As soon as the words left his mouth Elsa froze his hands to his lute. "Yup, I deserved that."

"Not that I don't enjoy being openly leered at, what's the real reason," Elsa asked as she unfroze his hands.

"Honestly," he sighed as put his lute to the side again, abnormally serious, "I can see what's coming."

"And that would be…?"

"Eventually, whether we want to or not, we will have to pick a side. I prefer to choose now instead of having the choice made for me later. Also, to reiterate an earlier point, your legs, total plus. That and Belle's chest, joining your cause was foregone conclusion," he added with his trademark smirk.

"You're an ass," Elsa huffed out, unable to hide her smile.

"You wouldn't have me any other way," he replied with a wink as he stood. "And don't you worry, my brother and I will be sure to keep an eye on your girl in case that shape shifter returns. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta get to DunBroch. Promised that pretty niece of yours I'd teach her how to play the lute."

"You even make a move to sleep with her I'll make sure your member is frozen to your leg for the rest of eternity," Elsa warned.

"Relax, she's already shot me down," Beasal said with a hint of disappointment.

"And you listened?"

"No means no," he replied. "I may something of a man slut, but that doesn't mean I don't respect it when someone's not interested. Besides, I wouldn't want to cross her; she's got your brains and Vidar's temper. I pity the man who thinks he can handle her," he said with a laugh as he departed.

Elsa just shook her head with a small smile as she headed back to Anna.

* * *

Anna looked over the first giant snowball she'd made to serve as the snowman's base. She didn't want to get too much done, since the fun was not so much making a snowman as it was spending time with Elsa. She blushed as she thought of the beautiful woman who had become a large part of her life.

It had been six years since Elsa and Shadow had first entered her dreams. Both wouldn't always be there at the same time, but it was always one or the other. As time went on and Anna started to mature, so did her dream companions: Shadow grew as big as Kristoff predicted, if not bigger; Elsa grew taller and, in Anna's opinion, more beautiful.

She loved playing with Shadow, but it was the nights she got to spend with Elsa that she favored the most. She could tell her wolf sensed this, but didn't seem upset. On the contrary, she almost encouraged it. On the rare occasions they were both there, the dire wolf would lay on the ground quietly next to them, giving Anna and Elsa privacy, begging every so often for an ear scratch or a belly rub.

She started to consider Elsa to be one of her closest friends, and soon started to look forward to going to bed every night. She always shared anything that was troubling her, knowing she'd be able tell Elsa anything without fear of being judged. Whenever she was with her, she felt like anything was possible. And now…

My precious, that's what Elsa had called her. Could the blonde consider her more than a friend? Anna knew her feelings were starting to shift from friendship to something more, but was hesitant to give voice to them.

Truth was, she was embarrassed to have fallen in love with a figment of her imagination. She made the mistake of telling Kristoff about Elsa. He didn't say anything out loud, but she could tell from the look in his eye he thought she was letting her imagination get the best of her. Anna sighed sadly as she looked at her unfinished snowman.

"What's wrong," Elsa asked as she wrapped her arms around her waist from behind.

"Nothing's wrong."

"You're a terrible liar," Elsa replied, her mouth next to Anna's right ear. The foreign sensation caused a shiver down Anna's spine and she could feel Elsa's smirk in response.

"Y-you were just gone a while," Anna was finally able to get out. Not a total lie, hopefully Elsa wouldn't call her out on it. "I was hoping to spend more time with you before I have to wake up."

"I'm sorry _minn dýrr_, I'm here now." Anna tensed at the term of endearment. "Does it bother you when I call you that," Elsa asked. Anna was shocked when she heard the nervousness in the other woman's voice. "I can stop if you want, the last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable, Anna."

When Elsa got no response, she started to pull her arms back from Anna's waist. The movement helped jolt Anna out of the stupor Elsa's words had caused, and she immediately turned and wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck.

"It doesn't make me uncomfortable," Anna said quickly, looking into Elsa's eyes. "It makes me happy since I'm pretty sure I'm falling love with you and knowing you could feel the same causes butterflies to go off in my stomach, although it feels more like trolls rolling around. I just can't believe someone like you would want anything to do with me, it's completely awkward. You're not awkward, I'm awkward, you're gorgeous, but you probably already know that. I mean, look at you, you're practically a goddess!" Elsa smirked down at Anna she wrapped her arms around the rambling girl's waist. "I mean seriously, you're gorgeous, and got a great personality to boot, and what's up with that? People who are as pretty as you are stuck up. I mean, you're not stuck up, you're the nicest person I've ever met…"

"Anna, breathe," Elsa interjected.

"… but it seems like most girls who are as pretty as you just go out of their way to be mean, you know? Not that you surround yourself with mean people, you're too nice for that. I mean you might? Who am I to judge? I hang out with some strange people. You're not strange! It's just a dire wolf isn't a normal companion, and then there's my brother who has a really weird relationship with his reindeer. I'm pretty sure it's not natural to share carrots like they do. And then there's Alex, who's a princess, and who can honestly say they're friends with royalty? Well, other royals I guess-"

Anna was interrupted when Elsa brought her lips down on hers for a chaste kiss, causing her to squeak in surprise. Elsa pulled back a little to smile down at Anna.

"Thank you for the complements that were buried in there," Elsa said with a smirk as Anna's face exploded in a blush. "I'm here with you because I'm pretty sure I've also fallen for you. You help give me the strength I need to get through some difficult situations I'm dealing with. And yes, you can be awkward, but you have a beautiful soul that matches your beautiful face." Elsa's smirk morphed into a large smile as the blush on Anna's face deepened. "And no, I don't understand why those blessed with a pretty exterior seem to have a rotten interior. My closest companion also happens to be a dire wolf, and I may share much with him, I have never crossed the line your brother has with Sven," Elsa said, looking a little grossed out at the thought of their relationship.

Unable to contain herself, Anna threw herself into Elsa's embrace, burying her head in the taller woman's shoulder.

"And Anna," Elsa said softly, her mouth once again next to Anna's ear, "You cause trolls to start rolling around in my stomach too."

Anna squeaked happily as she turned her head to face the blonde. Elsa started to kiss her again, and Anna passionately returned it, opening her mouth when she felt Elsa start to run her tongue along her bottom lip. She moaned as the taste of other woman, a minty flavor, invaded her mouth.

They remained in their passionate embrace until Anna woke up, the taste of mint still on her lips.


	8. Confessions

A/N: Over 100 follows and 6500 views! You guys are awesome! Thank you to everyone who's left a review/PM'd me with thoughts/suggestions. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to tell me what they think, even if I don't like or agree with what's said. It helps me improve as a writer and in turn come up with a better story for people to enjoy. I just want everyone to know I appreciate the support!

* * *

Alex looked out the castle window at the fields of DunBroch and sighed. She hated being trapped indoors on such a glorious summer day. Winter was coming, so there weren't going to be many days like this for long. She'd much rather be out enjoying it, riding Donor, the horse her Aunt Merida gifted her with on her sixteenth birthday.

Her time since she'd arrived in the Highlands had been eventful. Almost immediately her Aunt Merida, next in line for the throne of DunBroch, had taken her in and raised her like her own daughter. Alex was glad her aunt was the one who took her in. She loved her royal grandparents, but she knew her upbringing would have been far stricter under her grandmother than it was under aunt.

Her aunt made sure she had the opportunity to pursue her own interests and was overjoyed to hear of Alex's desire to learn archery. Alex smiled as she remembered her aunt's reaction the first time she'd loosed an arrow and hit the target. It wasn't a bull's eye, but it was within the target.

"Oy, lass, you're a natural alright," Merida said, placing an arm around her shoulders with a proud smile on her face. "Must run in the family," she said with a wink as she left to retrieve the arrow from the target.

"You have no idea," Alex muttered under her breath, thinking of her other aunt's legendary prowess with a bow. They spent the rest of the day in the woods, practicing different shots of various difficulties.

It wasn't all fun, however. As Merida's adopted daughter, she was the assumed heir to the throne after Merida, which she kept insisting to her aunt she didn't want. As the presumed heir, she was required to spend her days with her grandmother for royal etiquette lessons along with her three uncles.

SLAM!

Alex jumped as book was slammed on the table she where she sat, forcing her attention away from her thoughts.

"A princess does not waste her time day dreaming," Queen Elinor stated primly as she stood in front of Alex.

"I apologize, grandmother. I'm just a little restless."

The queen heaved a sigh and with a small smile said, "I suppose this is as good a time as any to end for the day. Go on, just be ready to make up for lost time tomorrow."

"Thank you grandmother," Alex said excitedly as she burst from her chair.

As she ran from the room, she heard one of her uncle's whine, "How come she gets to leave?"

"Because she was not caught creating an elaborate plan to look up the skirts of the castle's female staff," the queen replied icily. Alex snickered as she quickly made her way outside.

Alex headed out to the town square in search of the town postmaster. As soon as he saw the princess he sent her a rueful smile.

"I know you're not here to ask if you've any letters from across the sea."

"You know I am," Alex responded with a raised eyebrow.

"Lass, your letters just went out a few weeks ago. You know it'll be at least another couple of weeks to get a response from them."

"There's always a chance it could have come sooner…"

"Perhaps, but it takes longer than three weeks to make two trips across the North Sea."

"Alright," Alex sighed dejectedly. "See you tomorrow!"

She ran off as the postmaster shook his head. She knew how long it took to get a reply from Anna and Kristoff, she'd been sending them letters for the past six years. She'd also been able to convince her royal grandparents to pay for another trip for Anna and Kristoff's family to visit DunBroch since they refused to let her leave the kingdom. The letters were the only connection Alex had to her closest friends and she just wanted to make sure that she got the letter as soon as it came in. So Alex would pester the postmaster every day until they finally arrived.

The young royal headed to the Temple of Beasal to see if she could convince him to help speed up the deliveries. When she entered she saw a temple acolyte wrapping up his duties. Alex watched him out of the corner of her eye as she walked up to the altar and respectfully bowed her head. Still watching him, she started to pray, "God of Travelers, please hear my humble plea…"

Seeing that Alex was showing proper supplication, the acolyte left to give her privacy. Once he was gone, Alex said, "Come on, you useless bastard, show yourself. I know you're here."

"Useless, am I," asked Beasal, leaning on the right side of his altar, smile on his face. "Then perhaps I'll stop the favorable wind I sent to the trade ship to hurry your letters along."

"You do that, you'll miss out on the chance to laugh at Kristoff as he blushes like a school girl," Alex retorted.

"Fair point, lass," he said with a laugh. "I don't know what you're writing to him, but it sets his face on fire."

"Nothing obscene that would scandalize my family," Alex said defensively. Beasal gave her a disbelieving look, causing her to laugh and amend, "Alright, it would scandalize my royal grandmother, but that's pretty easy to do. Aunt Merida would laugh. Probably."

She knew her relationship with Kristoff was changing as the years went on, but it was their last visit a year ago when she could see just how much he had grown to care for her, which solidified her feelings for him. It was probably cheating, considering all she had to do was concentrate and she could immediately see what he was feeling, and it should have made things easier. Instead in only complicated things.

She didn't want to risk scaring him off by openly declaring that she thought of him as more than a friend. He was a good man, and might think that the son of a commoner had no business courting a member of the royal family. So a plan formulated in her mind, she decided to start shamelessly flirting with him in her letters, trying to get a response from him. According to Beasal, it was having an effect on him, if his blush was anything to go by.

"Don't worry, lass, you'll hear from them soon," Beasal comforted as he pulled out his lute. "I got some time before I have to head North. Why don't you show me what you remember?"

"Alright," Alex huffed out, taking the proffered instrument. "But don't laugh if I don't remember much."

"No promises," he replied with a smirk.

* * *

Anna could barely contain herself as she dragged Kristoff by the arm into the village square. A trader had just restocked the village shops, and that meant there was a chance post from outside the village could have been delivered.

She pushed through the door of Oaken's Trading Post, which had opened six months ago, not too long after Anna and Kristoff had returned to the village.

"Yoo-hoo," came the cheery voice of Oaken, the mountain of a man who owned the shop. He was seated behind a large desk that was loaded down with merchandise. "Big summer blow out! Low, low prices on all remaining summer stock!"

"No thanks," Anna said as she looked around for any evidence of the post being delivered.

"What about you, lad," Oaken asked Kristoff.

"I got a list from my father of supplies we need to prepare for winter," Kristoff replied, handing the merchant his list. "I know it's only the end of summer, but winter keeps coming earlier and earlier..."

"Best to be prepared," Oaken agreed. "Should be able to fill your order no problem. Are you sure there's nothing I can get for you, dear?"

Anna looked up and could tell from his smirk he knew what she was after. "I was wondering if any mail had been in this last delivery…"

"Well, it just so happens I have two letters, one for the each of you, right here," he said with a large smile as he produced the two letters from behind his desk. It was obvious from the markings, as well as the wear and tear, where the letters had originated from. Anna squealed happily as she took her letter from Alex and ripped it open, scanning the contents.

Kristoff just shook his head with a smile as he stuffed his own in his pack. He was just as excited as his sister to receive a letter from Alex, but planned on reading his in the privacy of his room when Anna wasn't around. Especially if they had the same tone as the last few. He wasn't sure where the Highlander princess had learned to flirt like that...

Just then the door opened, revealing Oaken's older brother, Asal. It was amusing to all who saw them together that Oaken was the younger of the two, since Asal was so short and Oaken toward over everyone he met.

"Brother," Oaken greeted happily. "I didn't know you were going to be back so soon! I thought you'd still be out wandering."

"You know me," the bard replied, "I don't like to stick to any sort of pattern." It was true. Asal would show up at random times in between his wanderings, staying at the local tavern regaling locals with stories of his travels. Kristoff remembered meeting him for the first time on Anna's first trip away from the village; it was hard to forget the man who had helped prevent some drunk from violating his sister. "Plus, I needed to talk to you about something important."

"We were just heading out," Kristoff stated, getting the feeling Asal didn't want whatever he had to tell Oaken to be overheard. He guided his sister out of the shop as she excitedly read the letter.

Once the siblings had left the shop Oaken turned to his older brother and asked, "How bad is it?"

Beasal faced his brother, leaning on the desk and sighed. "Bad. The Southern Gods are getting bolder. We should be far enough north to keep the Southerners away, probably the only thing that's kept Anna safe all these years."

"No more?"

Beasal shook his head sadly. "There's a new cult gaining popularity in Arendelle and slowly spreading outward. Couldn't get close enough to find out much except that it's being led by one of Alderic's high priests." At Oaken's curious look, he explained, "I saw him sneaking into one of their gathering places. Would have listened in, but they had some sort of enchantment in place keeping me from getting too close."

"Elsa won't like that," Oaken warned.

"No she won't."

Oaken sighed. "This is going to get worse before it gets better, isn't it?"

"Much worse," Beasal agreed sadly.

* * *

Kristoff sat at the desk in the room he shared with his sister. He had a blank sheet of paper in front of him as well as a quill pen and a small jar of ink. He had first pulled everything out shortly after reading Alex's letter. That had been over two hours ago and he still had no idea what to write. This last letter was the most forward she'd sent to date, but even still he couldn't tell if it was meaningless flirting or something more. With an angry sigh he turned away, his eyes falling on his sister who'd come in recently and was getting settled in her bed.

"Still working on your response," Anna asked with a laugh.

"Shut up," he replied angrily.

"You're hopeless," Anna said with a grunt as she reached under her bed. She pulled out a small box containing all the letters she'd gotten from Alex and pulled out the most recent one. "Here," she said extending the letter out. As Kristoff grabbed it, she said, "Just read the part about you, second to last paragraph."

Kristoff scanned the letter until he came upon the paragraph she mentioned.

"…_. Do me a favor, if you could? I keep trying to get a proper response from your brother and I'm running out of ideas. I tried being as straight forward as I could with him like you suggested and let him know how I felt about him, but my gut tells me it might not be enough. You know how stubborn he can be, convincing himself I'm just messing with him or something. Can you help me get through to him that I really, really like him? Maybe hit him over the head with a rock or something (Kidding! Please don't actually do this!). I'm really getting sick of all these balls for potential suitors Aunt Merida and I are always dragged to, I'd love to quickly shut these fortune hunters down by saying I'm already taken. All these 'men' may be considered noble, but none of them ever killed to protect me, especially when they had no idea who I was. That's gotta count for something…"_

Kristoff reread that paragraph three or four times before Anna snatched it back.

"There, now you know she really does like you. So can you please just tell her you like her back so she'll stop pestering me?"

"It's not that simple, Anna," Kristoff sighed as he made his way back to the desk.

"It is if you don't over complicate it," she replied sleepily.

Kristoff watched his sister fall asleep and a smile form on her lips, she must be with Elsa again. When Anna had first told him about her, he assumed her imagination was getting the better of her and that she was losing touch with reality. As time went on and he saw how happy she was every morning he started to regret his initial reaction. If this dream woman made his sister happy, who was he to judge? Maybe things really could be that simple.

_Maybe things really could be that simple._

He sighed as he turned to pick up his quill pen and dipped it in the ink.

"_Dear Alex,_

_Hopefully you will not think me too bold, but after reading your last letter I wished to express what you've come to mean to me…"_

* * *

Anna was walking hand in hand with Elsa, both enjoying the companionable silence. Anna kept thinking on the letter she got from Alex. She'd been nervous since she told her friend about Elsa. Instead of judging her, Alex simply replied 'legends are lessons,' and sent a translated copy of an old Highlander legend of two lovers meeting in their dreams. She also recommended trying to find out about Elsa's past to prove she wasn't just a dream. Figments of your imaginations don't have a back story… right?

"What's on your mind, Anna," Elsa asked, startling the auburn haired girl. "I can hear how hard you're thinking from here."

"I was just wondering about your past," Anna asked, deciding honesty would be her best bet. They had stopped walking and were now facing each other, hands still connected.

"My past," Elsa asked hesitantly.

"Well, it's just that you know everything about me, and I know almost nothing about you… so I was hoping to get to know you a little better," Anna replied nervously, voice trailing off.

"I…I…" Elsa stalled, not sure how to respond.

"It's ok," Anna said sadly, looking down, after Elsa had remained quiet for some time. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand if you don't trust me or…"

"It's not that," Elsa quickly assured. "I-I don't know if I can explain it-"

She was interrupted by Anna getting hit on the side of the face with snow. They both turned in the direction the snow had come from to see Shadow, she had snuck up on the pair as they had been distracted. She was crouched so face was on the ground, her nose buried in the snow and her rear was high in the air, tail wagging so fast her entire body seemed to be vibrating.

"That's not funny Shadow," Anna shouted angrily. She was trying to have an important conversation with the most important person in her life and this stupid wolf was trying to play…

"Relax, Anna," Elsa said soothingly as she wiped the snow from the side of her love's face. "She's just playing, there's no need to get angry. I'm sure-"

Elsa was again interrupted as snow went flying, this time hitting her. Elsa saw the look of shocked amusement on Anna's face as she raised a hand to brush the snow off her face. "You know," Elsa said calmly, "forget what I was just saying. Let's get that mutt."

They both started chasing Shadow, who yipped happily before running from the pair. They chased the wolf around the forest until they both collapsed, laughing, against their favorite tree to cuddle by. Shadow clearly still had energy to burn, jumping around and barking at the pair. Anna watched fascinated as Elsa created a snow reindeer for the dire wolf to chase and maul to her heart's content.

"How can you do that," Anna asked as she settled comfortably between Elsa's legs, her head resting on her chest.

"This is a dream, isn't it," Elsa replied evasively.

"I suppose," Anna sighed. Although that was true, Anna was starting to suspect there was more to it. However, she didn't want to ruin the peacefulness of the moment, so she kept her thoughts to herself and instead relaxed against her beloved.

"It's not that I don't trust you," Elsa said softly after a long moment. Anna sat up to look her in the eye as she continued to speak. "It's just that… my life has always been very complicated, and until recently, has not had a lot of happiness. There are a lot of painful moments I've left buried that I would have to face."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," Anna said frantically.

"Yes you did," Elsa replied with a smile, bringing up a hand to cup Anna's cheek. "And I want you to ask, I need you to _want_ to get to know me. I'm just going to need some time to sort through everything before I can tell you. Can you wait for that," Elsa asked nervously, biting her lip.

"Of course," Anna replied happily, leaning up to kiss her. Just then, the reindeer Elsa created hopped over them. 'Oh no,' Anna thought just before Shadow barreled into the pair, intent on catching her prey.

"I'm gonna kill that wolf," Anna muttered from her new position on her back. She opened her eyes just to realize the impact had caused Elsa to fall on top of her. She gulped audibly at the feel of the older woman straddling her. "Or find a way to bring a giant reindeer steak into my dreams to give her…"

Elsa laughed happily as she leaned down to capture Anna's lips. Neither girl noticed the dire wolf and reindeer watching them. They looked over at each other, silently congratulating each other on a job well done before heading deeper into the forest to continue their game where they wouldn't disturb the pair.


	9. Inner Struggles

Alex sprinted through the castle towards the front gates, tears blurring her vision. She pushed past random guards and whoever else had the misfortune of getting in her way as she made her way out. Once she was free, she kept running, she wasn't even sure where she was headed, just knew she had to get away. The castle was suffocating her, she felt like she could hardly breathe.

Without conscious thought, she made her way to the Temple of the Winter Goddess. The temple had become a second home to her, offering her a refuge even when Elsa was not present. Overcome by emotion, she fell to her hands and knees in front of the altar. She rested her head on the ground between her arms and started sobbing, her grief overwhelming her.

Alex had been walking with her grandmother in the great hall going over the day's etiquette lesson. At one point they stopped in front of a portrait of a young girl, maybe fifteen years old. Alex tried to pay attention to what her grandmother was saying, but the picture distracted her, the girl in the painting looked familiar. She had straight hair like the Queen's, eyes that seemed to have mischief dancing in them, and wore a smile that almost looked like she was smirking.

"Who is this, Grandmother," Alex asked, pointing to the image. The older woman tensed but didn't say anything, fighting back tears as she worked hard to keep her face neutral. Alex wondered at what could have caused this reaction in the regal Queen and reached out a hand to try and comfort her royal grandmother.

Before her hand could reach her, the Queen spoke with a tight voice, never taking her eyes off the portrait, "That's your mother, just before she left to go North."

Alex froze, hand hovering just over her grandmother's arm, and her eyes snapped back to the image of her mother. After taking a minute to compose herself, the Queen announced their lessons were done for the day, and rushed out of the room, leaving Alex gaping at the picture. How could she have forgotten what her mother looked like? When she'd first arrived at DunBroch she'd suffered from nightmares of her mother's last moments and as a result had done her best to stop thinking of her to try and prevent the dreams. But to have completely forgotten her…? Alex sobbed harder at the thought.

Her distress must have called to the Goddess of Winter, because the next thing she knew, she felt cold hands on her shoulders, pulling up so her head rested on the Goddess' chest. One arm rested around her shoulders while the other rubbed comforting circles on her back.

"Let it go, dear one," the Goddess whispered to her. "You've bottled up this pain long enough, just let it go."

"I forgot her," Alex sobbed. "I pushed out her memory for so long I forgot my own mother!"

The Goddess held her tighter in response, sensing her niece's distress. "You did not forget her, child. You just had to mentally prepare yourself to confront your last memories of her. There is no shame in that."

"I don't want to forget her," she sobbed.

"It won't be easy," the Goddess warned, "the nightmares will return." Unbeknownst to Alex, Elsa had conspired with Belle to hold back on dreams of her mother until the girl was ready to deal with them. If Alex wanted to remember her mother, however, she would have to face the memories, and the nightmares, head on.

"W-will you help me," Alex asked nervously, shifting to make eye contact.

Elsa smiled down at the girl and answered, "Of course, dear one. I'll always be there when you need me." Alex started sobbing again, and Elsa held her tighter, offering what comfort she could.

It was dark by the time Alex returned to the castle. She quietly made her way to her grandparents' chambers, hoping to apologize to her grandmother. She tentatively knocked on their door, just for it to slowly creak open. Peering in, she could see her grandmother lying on her bed, curled into herself, sobbing.

Knocking a bit louder, she stuck her head in and asked, "Grandmother, may I come in?" The Queen sat up, wiping her eyes with one hand while waving Alex in with the other.

Alex slowly climbed onto the bed next to her, trying to think of what to say to make up for all the pain she had caused her grandmother. They sat in an awkward silence for what seemed like an eternity before the Queen let out a small laugh and said, "You're just like her, you know."

"I am?"

She nodded silently before saying, "Aili was the quiet one, always watching what others were doing, what was going on around her. Like you, she didn't open up to many people. She only really got close to Merida; I think it hit her the hardest when she left."

"What happened," Alex asked quietly.

The Queen shrugged, still not looking at her granddaughter, "I don't know. One day she was here and the next she was gone. There was a note on her bed saying she'd gone out to explore the land across the sea and she'd write when she got settled. We sent out riders looking for her, but could never find any trace of where she had gone. It was almost fifteen years later we finally heard from her and that was to say she was coming home and bringing her daughter. When almost a month past and we still hadn't heard anything, Fergus set out to look for her."

Her voice broke as emotion again overwhelmed the queen. Alex quietly watched her before softly saying, "She used to talk about all of you when I was little." Her grandmother's head shot up, locking her red-rimmed eyes with Alex. "She would tell stories of her adventures with Aunt Merida and all the mischief my uncles would cause. Her favorite time to tell stories was on the winter equinox after we returned home from the Temple of Skadi."

A small smile formed on her grandmother's face before she asked, "She always loved that festival. She'd look forward to it every year."

"We never really stuck around for the festival after the ceremony at the temple," Alex reminisced softly. "We would go to the Winter Goddess' temple to pay her tribute during the morning ceremony, leaving an offering for Her and Vidar." Growing up, Alex knew the shape shifter was her father and couldn't understand why he was absent. Although young, she could see how much her mother missed him, even though she always wore a brave face. Swallowing around a lump that had appeared in her throat, Alex continued, "After the temple we would go home and spend the rest of the day in front of the fire where Mother would tell stories growing up in the Highlands." She would also tell stories of her father; it was the only time she would ever talk about him.

Alex fought to hold back her tears, but they started to creep out. "It's alright to cry, child," her grandmother said as she put her arm around her shoulders. Alex looked up to see tears silently making their way down the older woman's face. "I miss her too. There's no shame in mourning her, we've both put it off long enough."

With little prodding on the Queen's part, Alex buried her face in her grandmother's neck and wept for the second time that day. The Queen gently rocked her granddaughter and softly sang 'The Noble Maiden Fair'.

"Mother used to sing that to me, especially when I was scared," Alex sobbed out.

"I used to sing it to all my children," the Queen replied. There was a small smile that formed at the thought of her daughter carrying that on to comfort her own child. The two stayed that way until they both fell asleep.

King Fergus and Merida entered some time later, looking for the young royal. They shared a smile at the sight and silently crept out. Alex and Queen Elinor had never been particularly close, the Queen keeping the distance due to her grief in losing her daughter. They both took this as a good sign that the two would finally overcome that grief and build a relationship.

* * *

Alex tried to run, but her legs wouldn't move, no matter how hard she tried. She was in the middle of the woods, ruins of the caravan she'd been traveling with all around. There was no color here; as always, all she saw was shades of grey.

"Come on," she yelled in frustration, trying to force her legs to do something, but to no avail. She had to get moving! "Come on, come on, come on…"

An ear piercing scream cut through the air, catching her attention.

"Mama," Alex yelled, body still not responding. She watched in horror as men dressed in battle leathers circled her mother, taunting her. She could see blood seeping out of her side where they had cut her.

"Leave her alone," Alex shouted, trying to get the men off of her mother, but no one even looked her way. They pulled her mother to the ground and started cutting away her clothes while one man had a knife at her throat.

"MAMA," Alex screamed as she collapsed to the ground. She had closed her eyes, but that didn't stop her from seeing the memory.

Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, cool, pale arms wrapped around her hunched shoulders.

"Hush, young one," a familiar voice said softly. "You're alright, this is just a dream."

Alex opened her eyes and looked up to see Elsa holding her close, a kind but worried expression on her face.

"Just breathe and it will pass," she said trying to help Alex calm down. "This is just a dream, nothing here can hurt you."

Alex fought to control her breathing and looked around. She was still in the forest, but now it was empty save for the vegetation. There was no sign of the caravan or any of the people. Once Alex had calmed down enough she pulled back and said, "Thank you for helping me."

"Of course, young one," she replied with a smile. "That's what I'm here for."

Alex just nodded before looking down and saying, "I know you're not really my aunt." She risked a quick glance up to see a rueful smirk on the other woman's face.

"And here I thought I'd had my impersonation of her down. Oh well," she said with a sigh. The woman waved her left hand and immediately changed from an image of the Winter Goddess to a beautiful brown haired, brown eyed woman in a golden dress. "My name is Belle, Elsa and I have known each other for a long time. She asked that I watch over you, I hope you're not angry…"

Alex shook her head and replied, "I'm not upset. Seeing her is the fastest way to calm me down and I know she can't be here to help me. Not with everything going on..."

"She wanted to," Belle volunteered. "Not being here was one of the hardest decisions she's ever made. I could see how heavily it was weighing on her, she's very worried about you."

"Is that why she had you block these images for the past seven years," Alex asked with a small smirk. At Belle's wide eyed look, she explained, "I recognize you from your image at the temple in DunBroch, Dream Goddess. I also know my aunt, and know she would have asked you to do that."

"She was worried about you," Belle repeated.

"I know, and thank you," Alex said, unable to make eye contact. "I wouldn't have been able to handle the nightmares when I was ten. I can't even handle them now," she said with a rueful laugh.

"What you saw was horrific," Belle said firmly, her seriousness catching the young royal off guard. "This is not something you can just get over, and berating yourself for struggling with this will only make the process harder. You're not weak just because you need help."

"No, I'm weak because I couldn't save her," Alex said quietly, looking away.

"You were ten," Belle stated.

"Doesn't matter, I could have saved her," Alex shouted angrily. She stood up and started to pace, running her hands through her hair agitatedly. "I could have saved her, instead I was too scared to do anything but stand there!"

"You were ten," Belle repeated. She stood up and blocked Alex's pacing. "Stop blaming yourself for something you couldn't have prevented. You're not helping by doing that."

Alex sighed heavily and looked down. "I don't know how."

"You'll figure it out," Belle replied kindly. "And there are those around you who will gladly help you."

"I know," Alex replied softly.

"Now, I think there's been enough sadness in your dreams tonight," Belle announced. "Something pleasant is in order. Any requests?"

Alex bit her lip and looked down as a blush invaded her face. "I-Is there any way you could show me color? I've been color blind ever since I was four and it's been so long. I remember seeing colors, just not what they look like…" Her voice trailed off, embarrassed.

Belle looked down at the girl with warm smile, she knew it was hard for the young girl to admit any perceived weakness, even one as out of her control as color blindness. An idea came to her, and she had to fight back a smirk "Is that all you would like," the Dream Goddess prodded, "just color?"

"If it's not too much trouble," Alex answered with a quiet voice, blushing profusely, "it would be nice if Kristoff could be in it."

A smirk filled the Dream Goddess' face as she responded, "That can be arranged." Alex looked up to see a mischievous gleam in Belle's eyes, but before she could ask, Belle raised an arm, causing her dream to shift. "A quick question before I continue," Belle asked, the dream swirling around them, "how did you know I wasn't Elsa? I knew I wouldn't have been able to keep the ruse up for long, but you figured it out much quicker than I anticipated."

Alex smiled bashfully before saying, "You called me young one."

"So?"

"She calls me dear one."

"That's what I get for not paying closer attention," Belle said with an amused sigh. Before Alex could comment, the dream took shape.

She found herself alone in a small, but cozy, one room cabin. There was a fire roaring and she could see from the window by the door it was night. To her delight she could see the play of reds and oranges in the fire, the green in the curtain over the window next to the door, the brown of the wood that made up the window pain, the multiple colors of the stone that were in the walls… As she walked around taking in her surroundings, the door to the cabin opened and Kristoff walked in, an armload of firewood in his grasp. As soon as he saw her a large smile spread along his face. Alex smiled at seeing him as much as finally seeing his blonde hair and brown eyes for the first time.

Belle watched the two for a minute before deciding she should leave.

"She has no idea she's in his dream, does she," a voice said next to her ear, causing her to jump.

Belle quickly turned around seeing Beasal standing there with a large smirk. She punched him hard on the shoulder and said angrily, "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry," he laughed. Belle glared at him, but he just looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to answer his question.

She sighed and said, "No, she doesn't know this is his dream. I was hoping this would help encourage him to send off the letter he's been sitting on where he finally confesses his feelings."

"Good luck with that," Beasal said with an eye roll.

"What are you doing here," Belle asked suspiciously, eyebrow raised.

"I like to mess with his dreams," Beasal confessed. At Belle's glare, he raised his hands in surrender and said, "As soon as he decides to be a real man and send the letter I'll stop, I promise."

"Do I even want to know what you had planned," she asked with a scoff.

"Probably not," the God of Travelers answered honestly with a smile.

"I have to go," Belle said, shaking her head.

"Off to see your man?"

"Yes," Belle answered quietly, mood shifting suddenly. "Hopefully this is one of his good nights and he remembers me."

"If not, you could always come tame my beast," Beasal offered, hoping to cause the Dream Goddess to smile. Everyone knew what Gaston had done to her love. One more reason to join Elsa's cause…

"Go wrestle an ice troll," Belle muttered, unable to completely hide her smile.

"And risk scaring this handsome face? Not a chance."

"Yes, I've seen you fight," Belle snickered. "It's definitely creative."

"Admiring my moves, are you," he asked with a wink.

"Hardly," Belle said rolling her eyes. "Just tried to figure out where you came up with it."

"My fighting style comes down to on key point," Beasal explained as he leaned close, as if sharing a secret. "I don't like pain."

"That's not what that gypsy Esmeralda was saying," Belle replied. "Something involving whips and chains…?"

"No need to be jealous, you're always welcome to give it a go," he leered jokingly, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"You know me well enough to know I have… _bigger_… standards," she replied, pointedly looking down his pants. "Best for me to be off, and you too. Let them have their privacy."

"You know I love it when you boss me around," he said, getting in one last shot. Belle simply rolled her eyes before disappearing, Beasal not far behind.

* * *

Several months later, Anna was excitedly reading the letter Alex had sent her. She had been worried when only one arrived for her and not Kristoff, concerned that his had been lost, when he sheepishly confessed he never sent one off to her. After receiving a few hard punches from his sister and being called a coward, she ripped open her letter to read it as they walked home.

"She says that she was able to convince her grandparents to join Princess Merida on her upcoming trip and should be here in time for my seventeenth birthday! She even says she has a gift for me," Anna said excitedly. "Maybe she'll give me a bow like hers!"

"Judging by what happened the last time you went near one of those around her family I'm gonna guess that's highly unlikely," Kristoff said with a small laugh.

"No one was hurt," she said defensively.

"You shot King Fergus in the leg!"

"It was the wooden one," she countered, blush rising at the memory. Fortunately for her the highlander king didn't seem too upset about it, but made sure that she was kept away from the archery equipment after that.

As they talked, Anna noticed Helga where she was sitting with a group of her friends. Helga was the daughter of the village leader and for whatever reason she'd always hated Anna and went out of her way to make Anna's life hell. Judging by the nasty smirk firmly placed on the girl's face, today was going to be no different. Anna did her best to hide her fear and tried to steal herself for whatever her tormentor had planned.

* * *

Alex walked to the stables, kicking up fallen leaves as she went. Autumn had come to the Highlands and she loved taking in its beauty. Fall had always been her favorite time of the year.

The Goddess had been right. It was months before she could sleep through the night again and even longer for her to block out the memory of her mother's screams whenever she thought of her. Elsa had kept her word and was with her every step of the way, as was her Aunt Merida. Whenever an especially bad nightmare hit causing her to wake up screaming, her royal aunt would quickly enter her room and lay with her until she was able to fall back to sleep. She usually wouldn't leave Alex's beside on those nights and would brush off her niece's apologies for interrupting her sleep.

Eventually she was able to block out the worst of the memories whenever she thought of her mother. As soon as she mastered that, she fought and held onto every memory that she could of her. Whenever a new one came to her, she always shared them with her family, especially her grandmother. Although the Queen had initially been standoffish towards her, they were able to bond over their shared grief of losing her mother.

Alex was grateful she had put the effort into building a relationship with her grandmother, she had no doubt that was the only reason her Aunt Merida was able to talk her grandparents into allowing her to go with her on her upcoming trip across the North Sea. It had only been a several months since she'd seen them, but she really missed Anna and Kristoff.

She was glad she was able to hold onto her friendship with Anna, true friends were hard to find, especially amongst the crowd her royal blood attracted. Yes, Alex thought happily, she was glad to have a friend in her. And then there was Kristoff... She wasn't sure what to do about him. He never replied to her last letter, and she was starting to get nervous. Beasal did his best to try to reassure her, but still she worried. She had no idea how to proceed, and the God of Travelers was even less help in that regard. His last suggestion was to send him one of her undergarments. Alex snickered to herself as she tried to imagine her family's reaction to that one. '_Ah well_,' she sighed to herself. She'd see Kristoff soon enough to work this out face to face. Even if things went badly between them, at least she'd be able to see the North lands again.

She was looking forward to the trip. The Highlands had become her home, but she missed the Nordic lands. It was where she had lived most of her life and she could feel some inner desire telling her to go back. She wouldn't abandon the family that had so readily taken her in, but she would find a way to make her home across the sea.

She was pulled from her musings as she heard shouting coming from the royal stables. Alex started sprinting, bursting in as soon as she got to the main door to see what was going on. Stable hands were rushing about, trying to calm the horses that were all panicking in their stalls.

"Git tho' beasts unner control," Doyle the stable master shouted out to his charges. "We'll figure out what spooked 'em once we make sure they don' rip the stables apart inna stampede!"

"What's happening," Alex demanded, making her way to the grizzled red-headed stable master. Doyle was well over six feet and toned from the years of working with horses. He'd served the royal family since the king gave him a job as a stable hand when he was just a boy.

"This no place for you right now," he said angrily to the young royal. "You need to get outta here before you get hurt."

"The hell I will," she shot back angrily.

"Look, princess, somethin's got the horses riled and they're all goin' nuts. I don't wanna haf ta worry about explainin to the Queen how you got crushed under unner these beasts."

As if on cue, a loud crash came from behind them as one of the draft horses broke out of his stalls and Alex immediately recognized it as her horse Donor. He was from the same line as Angus, her aunt's horse, and looked almost identical with black hair and a white patch on his face.

"Easy boy," she said, soothingly, holding her hands in the air and grabbing his reins. She saw he had been saddled and ready to ride. It was normal for her to take him out every afternoon once she was done with her lessons; no doubt the staff had saddled him in preparation for her arrival. "Easy there, Donor, everything's alright, nothing's gonna hurt you boy," she whispered to her horse, trying to comfort him.

He reacted immediately, calming enough to allow Alex to stroke his nose soothingly. Still sensing his unease, she reached out and sent calming waves to help relax him. She learned early on that she had an affinity to communicating with animals, which shouldn't have surprised her too much considering who her father was. She was always careful with her abilities and never used them in front of others, but this was a special case. If these horses didn't calm down, someone could get killed.

Doyle watched the interaction between girl and horse closely. In all his years working with the animals, he'd never seen anything like it; it was almost as if her very presence calmed the horse. And it wasn't just him, the other horses seemed to be under whatever spell the young royal was casting.

Noticing the other stable hands watching the pair, he turned to them and started barking, "Don' jus' stan' around doin nothin! Whaddya think I'm payin ya for, bein borin? Do it on yir own time! Git tho' horses secured! If whatever caused this comes back, I don wanna to worry about em breakin free again!" He turned back around to see Alex walking with her horse towards him. "Don' know what ya did, princess, but thank you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, blushing and looking away.

"As you say, your highness," he said with a bow and small smirk. He knew better than to ask too many questions.

"Could you take Donor," Alex asked as she handed him the reins. "He'll need to be placed somewhere else until repairs to his stall are completed."

"Of course," the stable master said as he watched her turn away and head to the small armory attached to the stable. A minute later she exited with a longbow and a quiver of arrows. "What're you plannin, your highness?"

"I want to find out what caused this," Alex replied. "Please keep a close eye on the horses; I have a bad feeling about all this."

"Then perhaps the guards should handle this," Doyle suggested pointedly. He had seen her handle herself with not just the bow, but different blades as well and knew she could take care of herself. That didn't mean he was comfortable with the thought of the princess encountering whatever spooked the animals.

"I won't stray far," Alex stated, brushing off his concern as she headed out. She had a gnawing in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know how she knew, but she was certain that it was no earthly force that caused this. If that was the case, she was the only one who could even attempt to discover the source. She couldn't risk any of the guards becoming a casualty to whatever this was. If Alderic was making a move to take the Highlands, she would need to let Elsa know immediately.

Alex's mouth twisted in a grimace at the thought of the last time she met with her. The Goddess warned her that tensions were rising between the Northern and Southern deities and war was only a matter of time between the factions. Alex had been able to school her features to prevent her feelings from showing; however the Goddess could still sense them. Elsa had assured her war was the last thing she wanted and was doing her best to prevent it. Alex merely bowed respectfully and remained silent.

She knew the Winter Goddess never made a decision without first considering any possible fallout and unintended causalities, and that she really was trying to avoid open conflict. That didn't do anything for the anger she felt bubbling just below the surface at the thought of all the innocent people who were caught in the crossfire of this feud. The Norse lands suffered for years as the unending winter gripped their lands, crippling their farming capabilities. It wasn't until Elsa had found a way to loosen her hold enough for the snow to melt and crops to grow, but not so much that would give Alderic an opening to take over during his domain of the summer that they were able to recover.

Pushing all of that out of her mind, Alex entered the mouth of the forest, bow raised with a nocked arrow. Almost immediately she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise and knew she was being watched. Weighing the risks, Alex decided it would be best to leave the woods and confer with Elsa. She started to back out, never taking her eyes off the foliage, when she noticed the eyes on her. Angry green eyes started back at her from the shadows and she could hear a low growl.

The beast stepped out of the darkness revealing a giant bear with golden fur, snarling and focused on her. Alex used her gifts to reach out to the bear just to be mentally slapped away as the beast stood on her hind legs and roared. This was the cause of the panic in the stables. Alex could sense this was no ordinary bear, but another shape shifter. She tried to get a sense of the creature before her but all she could feel was anger.

Anger and… chaos.

"You are not welcome here," Alex said with a confidence she didn't necessarily feel. The bear roared again in response. "Alderic and his followers are not welcomed. This land is held by the Gods of the North. Leave, or face the wrath of Cailleach!"

The bear roared a final time before backing away, never taking her angry green eyes off Alex. Once she was sure the shape shifter was gone, she hurried out of the forest and made her way to Elsa's temple. She knew the Goddess would be angry with her, but she couldn't let that stop her from telling her aunt what had happened.

* * *

"What were you thinking," Elsa thundered. Anger didn't even begin to cover what the Goddess was feeling.

"Forgive me, Cailleach," Alex said as she kneeled, eyes lowered and head bowed. When she first started visiting the temple, the Goddess had revealed her true name to her niece and asked she refer to her as such. It had gone without saying that it was only when they were alone and shouldn't be used during certain interactions. Like now, when the Goddess looked like she was about to freeze over the Highlands in her anger. "I could sense the disturbance and I feared sending guards out to investigate would have only endangered their lives."

"So instead you endangered your own," the Goddess demanded. "You've caught the attention of one of Alderic's servants! How long do you think it will be until he sends one after you?"

"He already has," Alex answered quietly. She risked a glance at her aunt and elaborated, "It was servants from the Temple of the Summer God who killed Mother."

Elsa's anger quickly vanished. "Why didn't you tell me before now?"

"I did not want to risk it becoming the catalyst that led to war. If my father found out what they did to her…" Alex's throat closed up at the memories and she closed her eyes in a futile attempt to stop the tears that had built up. She quietly cleared throat before saying, "If his temper is as bad as I've been told, he would have gone after Alderic, which would have led to war. A war your side started. I will not be the cause of that."

Elsa let out a tired sigh, the strain of the past seven years showing. "I understand why you hid that from me, but I need you to swear to me you'll never keep anything like that from me again."

"I swear it," Alex promised.

"Good," Elsa replied as she signaled for Alex to rise. She placed her hands on Alex's arms and looked over her niece with a proud smile before saying, "You knew how I would react to your actions today, yet you came straight here to tell me what you had done. That took no small amount of courage. Your father will be proud when he hears, as proud as I am."

"Hearing that you are proud of me means more than whatever opinion he might have," she replied, bowing slightly. "You have been more of a parent to me than him."

"Alex," the Goddess sighed, trying to make her niece understand.

"He abandoned me," Alex interrupted, eyes lit with a fire. "He abandoned my mother and he abandoned me when we both needed him. My whole life he has made a point to stay as far from me as possible. You were the one to take me in and raise me alongside my mother's family. You were the one who recognized me as your own when he publicly disavowed me."

Elsa wished she could defend her brother's action, but could not find the words. In truth, she was disappointed in her brother. She wasn't surprised Alex knew about what Vidar had done, but it did make it more difficult to arrange a reconciliation between the two.

"Perhaps it is better if we do not discuss this," Elsa said with a sad sigh. "You leave with your aunt tomorrow?"

"Yes. I can't wait to see Anna and Kristoff," Alex said with a smile.

"It'll be a long trip across the North Sea; you should head home so you can rest up for your journey."

"As you will," Alex said formally as she bowed to the Goddess. Before she could rise, her aunt had her wrapped in a tight hug.

"What have I told you about that," Elsa asked with a small smile.

"I am a Child of Winter, it is my place to serve."

"You are my blood first, never forget that," Elsa insisted. Alex responded by tightening her arms and quietly fighting a sob.

"Thank you for not abandoning me," she choked out as tears slid down her cheeks.

"I promised you I would always be there for you, dear one," the Elsa whispered fiercely into the trembling girl's ear, "I always keep my promises. Now off with you so you can get your rest."

Once they separated from the embrace, Alex bowed slightly to the Goddess before exiting the temple. Elsa watched her leave with a tender expression for a long minute before realizing how late it was getting; Anna would be sleeping soon. Elsa still had a matter she needed to discuss with some of the other Northern Gods, and she wanted to wrap it up as soon as she could so she could spend as much time as possible with her auburn haired beauty.

With a smile gracing her lips, Elsa raised her arms and disappeared into the night.

* * *

Elsa entered Anna's dreams that night intent on telling her who she really was. She had become more and more enchanted with Anna and knew the same was true for the other girl. Especially if their recent make out sessions were anything to go by, Elsa thought with a smirk.

The problem was that although Anna suspected that she wasn't just a figment of her imagination, she had no idea who Elsa really was. She had no idea how Anna would react when Elsa revealed the truth or if she would even believe her. '_I must try_,' Elsa thought to herself. Anna was too important to her not to. All thoughts of revealing herself to Anna went away as soon as she saw her love.

Anna was sitting on the ground, head in her hands as she sobbed. Shadow was sitting next to her, nuzzling the side of her head to comfort her. As soon as the wolf sensed Elsa's approach, she looked up and whined softly at the Goddess.

"Anna, what's wrong," Elsa asked, kneeling in front of the girl. She grabbed the hands blocking the girl's face and held them tightly in her hers as Anna composed herself.

"It's nothing," Anna hiccupped out.

"Clearly it's not 'nothing'," Elsa responded gently, letting go of one of Anna's hands so she could wipe away the tears still present. Once they were gone, she cupped her cheek, rubbing her thumb back and forth in a motion that helped calm the auburn haired girl. "Please tell me what's wrong. You know how I hate to see you upset."

"What's it matter," she asked with a sad laugh. "Everyone knows I'm just a stupid kid."

"Who told you this," Elsa demanded, anger flaring in her ice blue eyes.

"It doesn't matter," she sighed. The defeated look in her eye broke Elsa's heart. "This is all just a dream, none of it's real…"

"Can you show me what happened," Elsa pleaded. "I want to help you. Please let me see what happened."

Anna closed her eyes and concentrated when suddenly the scenery shifted slightly. Elsa watched as the world shifted to the village square. Anna was walking with Kristoff, happily talking about the recent message she got from Alex promising she'd visit for Anna's birthday. Elsa couldn't help but smile as she felt the girl's excitement. Clearly Anna still hadn't figured out how to block her emotions from the memory she was showing, for which she was glad. Elsa wanted know exactly what had upset her love.

She felt Anna's mood shift as soon as she saw the village leader's daughter. Elsa remembered some of the stories Anna had told about this girl and knew she had to be the source of Anna's distress. Anna had never shown a memory with the girl before, so this was the first time Elsa had seen her. Although the girl had a pretty face with her blonde hair and blue eyes, she was short and rather heavy. Undoubtingly, if her father was not the leader of the village, she would not be nearly as popular.

"There goes Anna again, making up stories to try and sound important," Helga announced condescendingly as she overhead Anna talking about the DunBroch princess.

"I'm not making anything up," Anna insisted. Why did Helga have to show up? Her day had been going so well! "I don't make up stories! Alex is real! King Fergus came to our village!"

"True, but why would she be friends with a lowly hound master's daughter," Helga spit out. Shadow started growling low at her words, baring her teeth at the figment of the girl.

Truth was Anna had been starting to feel insecure in her friendship with Alex. She was a princess, in the direct line of succession for the throne of DunBroch. And although Alex always insisted she wasn't interested in things like titles and royal bloodlines, Anna had begun to wonder. Alex was someone special, even without the royal blood you could tell just by looking at her. Anna, however, well, she was just the hound master's daughter, a nobody. Shadow could also feel Anna's emotions and started whining, trying to nuzzle the girl's hands to comfort her.

"Oh yeah," Helga said as she snapped her fingers, acting like she'd just remembered something, "and what's this about you having a girlfriend? The one you keep saying you see every night."

"How do you know about that," Anna asked, embarrassed. She didn't think it was wise to fall in love with a dream, no matter how beautiful she was, but figured it was alright as long as no one knew about it. If Helga found out then it was only a matter of time until she told the whole village…

"It was impossible not to hear you gush to Kristoff the other day," the other girl explained with contempt. "Perfect skin, beautiful white blonde hair, ice blue eyes… that's quite the catch you've made."

"Leave her alone," Kristoff said angrily. Anna knew Kristoff didn't approve of her infatuation with Elsa, but he always protected her.

"So tell us, Anna, where did you meet her," Helga asked.

"Well… um… you see…"

"Come now," Helga egged on, "surely you remember where you met this _goddess_ of a woman." Elsa's eyes angrily narrowed the more she heard this girl talk and the more she felt Anna's humiliation. "Unless, of course, she isn't real…"

Anna looked at the ground trying to keep the tears back as she heard Helga lead the others on in mocking jeers. Even Kristoff's attempts to muffle them as they walked away didn't drown everything out. The memory faded to the sound of the girls' mocking laughter.

Elsa wrapped her arms tightly around the girl in front of her as the tears started again, doing her best to keep her anger in check. As much as she wanted to go after this girl, she had to be here for Anna. Anna was far more important than her desire for revenge.

"I wish you were real," Anna sobbed into her neck. "I wish I wasn't so awkward and that I was pretty…"

"Anna, look at me," Elsa demanded, moving back enough so Anna could move her head. But she didn't, instead burrowing it further into Elsa's neck. Normally she would have been reveling in the sensation; however, she had to convince Anna how wrong she was. She moved her hands from Anna's back to her cheeks, gently directing her face up. Elsa felt her heart clench at the sight of Anna's tear stained face. Once they finally made eye contact, Elsa said softly, "I don't want to hear you talk about yourself like that again."

"But it's true…"

"No it isn't," Elsa interrupted heatedly. "Of anyone I've ever known, mortal or God, you are the most kind hearted, beautiful, and pure spirited I have ever met. You captured my heart the moment the moment I laid eyes on you, _minn dýrr_. I love you, and I don't ever want to hear you speak ill of yourself again."

"Oh blessed Skadi, I wish you were real," Anna breathed, clearly affected by what Elsa said to her.

Elsa smirked internally at the irony of Anna unwittingly using one of her names as she wiped at the tears that had leaked out. "I told you, _minn dýrr_, I'm as real as you make me."

"I wish that were true, I wish I could see you outside my dreams."

"Soon, _minn dýrr_," Elsa said gently, as she pulled Anna into another embrace. She looked over at Shadow who had been silently keeping vigil. Directing her thoughts into the dire wolf, she said to her, _'I trust you to take care of this, dear one._'

The wolf tilted her head in understanding before quietly leaving the dream.

Elsa held Anna a bit longer before coming to a decision. Biting her lip nervously, she coaxed Anna to face her again. Once she had Anna's attention she said, "There's something I need to show you. Something I've never shown another being."

"What's that," Anna asked.

"Who I really am," Elsa answered, her nerves showing, "the whole story."


	10. Elsa of the North Mountain

The bright morning sun rose behind the peak of the North Mountain, peaking through Elsa's window. Rousing herself, Elsa got up and groggily washed her face with the wash basin next to her bed, she always woke with the sun to help her parents with the morning chores. She quickly tied her raven black hair up in a quick braid as she rushed out of her room and out the door. As she walked outside she grabbed the bucket by the door and headed to the hen house.

Halfway through her morning routine, she felt like she was being watched. She looked out at the forest surrounding her home with her parents, but could see nothing in the foliage. Shrugging aside her concerns she turned her back to woods. Just as she was about to get back to work, she heard a low growl. Elsa turned in time to see a large dire wolf emerge and tackle her.

"Vidar," she said angrily, "this wasn't funny the first time you did this…"

The wolf seemed to smirk as he got off of her. Elsa stood, back to the wolf as she brushed herself off. When she turned back, her half-brother had turned back into his human form with a smirk firmly in place.

"Apologies, baby sister, but you know I can't help myself."

"Bastard," Elsa muttered as she hit his shoulder. The smile on her face proved there was no real heat in her words, and right after she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I missed you. I didn't think you'd be back so soon."

"Yeah, well," he trailed off, avoiding his sister's eyes as she pulled away.

With an eye roll and sigh, Elsa asked, "Who is it this time?" Her brother's dalliance with ladies was infamous, and on more than one occasion had been chased home by an angry parent or spouse.

"Long story," he replied evasively, running a hand through his short black hair. They had both gotten their mother's black hair and dark blue eyes, but that's where the similarities between the half siblings ended. Elsa was exceptionally tall and pale due to her father being an ice giant, whereas Vidar had gotten his stocky, muscular build from his father, a shape shifter from the Celtic lands. At least that's what his mother told him, Vidar was too young to remember what he was like when his father died.

Their mother Idunn had been a powerful sorceress for a southern lord. When the lord had ordered her to use her magic to hurt innocent villagers, she had refused. Knowing her son would be the target of the lord's wrath, Idunn had taken him in the dead of night and fled. After weeks of travel she found herself on the North Mountain, where she met a giant named Thiassi who promised to protect them from the southern lord in exchange for her help. His village had been cursed by an angry god and only magic could break the enchantment. Idunn agreed, and helped the villagers, who in their gratitude helped keep the lord from getting near her or her son.

In the following years, Vidar's mother and the giant grew closer. By the time Vidar was eight they were married and welcoming his baby sister. Although he always missed his father, he was grateful to Thiassi for taking him in and raising him as his own son.

Vidar, like his father, was both an immortal and a shape shifter. He may not have been have had his own domain to rule over, but he still had responsibilities dictated to him by other members of the Pantheon, although Elsa had no idea what they entailed. It required him to constantly travel, where he picked up the reputation of a ladies man, a reputation that got him into trouble more often than not.

Elsa sighed as she chastised her older brother, "You know Mother worries for you."

"I know," he said sheepishly. "It wasn't completely my fault this time. Don't worry, it'll blow over, I just have to lay low for a little while. Now come on, let's finish up those chores of yours so we can make breakfast and surprise everyone," he said with a smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Alright," she replied, allowing herself to be led to the barn where the cows were. "I really did miss you, and I know Mother did too, no matter how worried she'll be when she sees you."

"I know, _systir_, I missed you too."

* * *

It was almost an hour later the siblings were leaving the barn and heading towards the house, Elsa carrying the eggs and Vidar carrying the buckets with the milk. They were laughing over a story he was telling when they were interrupted by screaming coming from behind their home. Putting their loads down, both quickly ran to see what was going on. They stood frozen in place at the sight that greeted them.

Idunn and Thiassi were on the ground, unmoving, and two people stood above them. Elsa recognized them as Loki, God of Winter, and his wife, Cersei, Goddess of Summer. The God of Winter had elegant robes of black and dark blue, contrasting with his short white hair and ice blue eyes. The Goddess of Summer stood behind and to the right of her husband, in a forest green long sleeved dress that matched her eyes and complimented her blonde hair in an intricate bun.

"Mother," Elsa yelled as she ran up and collapsed next to them, "Father!" She couldn't understand what was happening. She tried to reach for her parents, but Vidar had appeared from behind her and pulled her to himself, keeping her from getting to close.

"Don't touch their bodies," he whispered fiercely in her ear. "You don't know what's been done to them."

"So cautious, shape shifter," the God of Winter said condescendingly. "Too bad you weren't earlier. I warned you to stay away from my daughters; this is what you get for failing to listen and violating one of them."

"Aurora approached me," Vidar said between clenched teeth. "And your problem was with me, you should have left my family alone!"

"The more painful the lesson, the longer the sting will stay in your memory," replied the Goddess of Summer with one eyebrow raised.

Elsa was in shock, scarcely able to follow the conversation swirling around her. She couldn't take her eyes off her parent's death masks, they didn't look like anything like themselves. Her father's normally pale completion looked sunburned and his normally white hair was fiery red. Her mother's raven hair was snow white and she was unnaturally pale. Her parents clearly had warning of whatever attack had come from the deities, her father had his longbow still in his hand, an arrow on the ground nearby.

"What did you do to them," Elsa choked out around tears.

"A fitting punishment for your brother's crimes," Loki said, dismissing her. He turned to the Summer Goddess, "Perhaps you should return to Aurora, I can finish humbling this boy."

"Of course, dear," Cersei replied with little emotion. "Try not to take too long."

As soon as the Goddess of Summer disappeared, Loki turned to Vidar and caused a giant long sword of ice to appear in his hand. "Now, boy, I just need to make sure you don't sully any other maidens and I can be on my way. If you play nice, I might even leave your little sister alone."

"Go to Hel," Vidar snarled, standing in front of his sister protectively. She could see the anger in her brother, but also the fear. Something inside Elsa snapped. Without thinking, she grabbed her father's bow, nocked the arrow that had been nearby, and launched it at the God of Winter.

With his attention on Vidar, he never saw the arrow coming, and it struck its mark, finding its home in his left eye.

As soon as the arrow hit, a bolt of energy shot out of the Winter God and straight to Elsa. Had she been standing, she would have collapsed to her knees. It was painful in its intensity, and forced her to slam her eyes shut as she tried just to breath. She felt Vidar crouch next to her, pulling her into his arms so that she sat on his lap and buried her face into his chest.

"What's happening to me," Elsa gasped out between spasms.

"I don't know," Vidar answered worriedly, "but I'm right here. I'll be alright, _systir_, just breath." His fear creeped into his voice, but Elsa couldn't tell in her haze. Truth was he was scared he was going to lose the last member of his family. She was convulsing in his arms and her hair had lost all pigment, becoming as white as his mother's hair now was.

After what felt like an eternity, her convulsions stopped. Vidar held his breath, becoming fearful when she didn't move. Finally she opened her eyes, and he did his best to keep his face still. Her eyes had changed from dark blue like his to an ice blue. A thought formed at what could have happened, causing his stomach to clench in fear.

"Vidar," she questioned. Elsa didn't know how, but it was almost as if she could sense what her brother was feeling, and she could tell just how afraid he was.

Before he could answer, she sensed the approach of others. She didn't know where this ability came from and it scared her. Elsa looked to the left to see the Summer Goddess approach, anger propelling her forward. Behind her trailed a large man with white hair and a large white beard. He looked around contemplatively as Cersei stopped near them.

"You," screeched the Summer Goddess, "you killed my husband!"

"Calm yourself, Cersei," the man said placidly.

"Calm," she demanded, whirling to face the man behind her. "They murdered my husband in cold blood, stole my son's inheritance, and you want me to be calm?"

"May I see your bow," the man asked Elsa, a friendly smile on his face. Due to whatever had happened to her, she knew that he wasn't a threat. She held out the bow for him, and he took it with a nod in thinks.

"Just as I thought," he said after examining the bow. "This was forged by my father's smithy, Hephaestus. You can see his mark here," he said, pointing to a mark just below the grip. "Only a weapon forged by a god can kill a god, even with a shot as good as yours."

"What's this have to do with anything, Odin," Cersei demanded.

Elsa's eyes widened in surprise, and she nervously stuttered, "Y-you're Odin."

"Yes, young one," he replied with another friendly smile. The smile vanished as he turned to the Summer Goddess. "If I remember right, this bow was given to an ice giant in thanks for helping the Lame God; you'll forgive me if I don't remember all the details of the story. May I presume the bow's previous owner is a decedent of that giant," Odin asked, looking over at Elsa and Vidar.

Vidar nervously cleared his throat and answered, "Thiassi used to tell a story like that about one of his ancestors."

"I see," Odin replied. "And the woman next to him is your mother, the sorceress Idunn?"

"Yes," Vidar again answered.

"I've never met either of your parents, but I was under the impression you got your black hair from her."

"That's true," Vidar replied as Cersei narrowed her eyes in anger, sensing where the conversation was heading.

"And may I assume, being an ice giant, Thiassi's skin tone wasn't naturally this red?"

"It was the same as my sister's," the shape shifter confirmed.

"I'm also going to assume he did not have red hair."

"It was white."

"I don't know what you hope to gain with this line of questioning," the Summer Goddess interrupted angrily, "but that does nothing to change the fact they murdered my innocent husband while I sat at home with my daughter, the daughter that this _beast_ violated," she said heatedly, pointing at Vidar.

"It would be easier to believe that statement if the daughter in question wasn't well known for whoring herself out," Odin retorted, his anger finally showing.

Cersei's face turned bright red as she said, "How dare you…"

"It's obvious what was done here. You and your late husband have long overstepped your authority, but murdering innocents? That's too far," he said, his voice starting to rise in anger. "You're lucky I don't add your lifeless body to his!"

"You do not have the authority-"

"Silence," Odin roared so loud even the North Mountain seemed to tremble. "You and your children are banished from these lands! Another will be given the power over summer for the north."

"What of my son's inheritance," Cersei said angrily, glaring at Elsa.

"This woman will retain what my son so carelessly threw away when he decided to slaughter innocents," Odin replied, his voiced cold.

"You cannot-"

"Push this and I will remove you entirely from your domain and give it to another, leaving your children with nothing! Now be gone," he ordered.

"This isn't over," Cersei said angrily, venom dripping from her voice as she disappeared.

Once she was gone, and uneasy silence fell over the three. Vidar was the first to break it by clearing his throat and asking, "So is it true? Is my sister the new Goddess of Winter?"

Odin sighed before turning to look at the siblings. Elsa was still in her older brother's lap, his arms wrapped protectively around her. It was obvious she was shaken by everything that had happened, but he could see her inner strength. He looked the frightened woman in the eyes as he answered, "Yes."

"What," she asked wearily, "I don't understand."

Odin crouched in front of the pair so he could be eye level with her as he tried to think of the best way to answer. "It's somewhat complicated, but I'll try to explain. When a God dies-"

"How can a god die," Elsa interrupted. "You're immortal."

"Elsa," Vidar hissed, fearful at Odin's reaction for interrupting him.

"It's alright," Odin assured the shape shifter, "it was a fair question." He turned back to Elsa and answered, "It's not the person who is immortal, it is the soul. My father, Zeus, died in a mighty battle when his brother Hades tried to steal his throne. When a god dies, his or her soul is drawn to any living children they have, unless the soul is intercepted by another deity. Only a weapon forged by the God of the Smith can kill a god in battle, because no ordinary weapon can kill us. You see, the weapons forged by Hephaestus act as a lightning rod, pulling the soul out of the host and towards whomever slayed the god. Fortunately, I was able to intercept my father's soul to keep it from Hades. Had he been the one to receive it, he would have inherited my father's strength and his coup would have been successful. But his strength became mine and after destroying my uncle I took my father's throne."

"Did you also take your uncle's soul," Elsa asked.

"No," he answered. "Collecting too many souls can overwhelm the body, ripping it apart, killing the host. I passed it on to Hades' daughter, Hel, and gave her control of his domain of the Underworld after she swore fealty to me."

"So when I killed Loki with my father's bow, one forged by Hephaestus, it pulled his soul to me?"

"And you became the Goddess of Winter and the Hunt," Odin finished. "It was the birthright of his firstborn, Alderic. A birthright his father threw away because of his actions today."

"If the soul isn't passed on until the god's death, how can a god's children be immortal," Elsa asked.

"A fragment of each immortal parent's soul is given when the child is sired. It acts as signal for the soul when the parent dies. The soul will then divide itself to however many children the god conceived. The strength of the child is determined by much of the soul they receive. It's why siblings will usually kill each other off before their parent's death so they may receive the most power. Don't worry," Odin said, raising both arms, "all this and more will be explained to you. For now, we must leave, there is much that must be done."

"Come on, _systir_," Vidar whispered in Elsa's ear.

"No," Elsa replied, standing on shaky legs. "Not until we've buried our family."

"Elsa," Vidar started, trying to convince his sister defying the head of the Pantheon wasn't in her best interest. She turned to face him, fire in her eyes.

"They're dead because of you," she said angrily. Unbeknownst to her, the temperature dropped, and dark clouds started to form directly above them, threatening a fierce storm. "Because you couldn't keep it in your pants they were murdered like dogs, and now I'm suddenly a Goddess with powers I don't want. All of this is your fault, so no, _bróðir_, I'm not going anywhere until we bury them. It's the least you can do."

Vidar stood and hung his head. "I'll go get shovels," he muttered as he walked away.

Odin waited until the shape shifter was out of earshot before saying, "Do not be too hard on him. He had no way to know this would have happened when he went to bed with that girl. The guilt he feels is obvious, as is his devotion to you."

"I know," Elsa said, fighting tears. "I just can't leave them like this."

Odin looked her over before saying, "There is no weakness in morning what you have lost. Bury your family and say your farewell. I will meet you at my temple, Vidar knows the way."

Elsa watched him disappear just as Vidar reappeared with two shovels. The pair worked in silence, digging the graves side by side under a large evergreen. Once the task of burying their parents was finished, they took turns saying their goodbyes.

Elsa looked over the land she'd grown up on, her heart breaking. She could hear the animals in the barn, and was suddenly concerned for their wellbeing. She almost laughed at herself; her parents were gone, the life she knew was over, and she was worried about what would happen to a few stupid animals…

"Don't worry about them," Vidar said, guessing his sister's thoughts. "After I take you to Odin, I'll make sure they're not left here to die."

"Thank you," she replied quietly. She tried to think of how to reach out to her brother to make for what she had said, but couldn't think of anything that seemed adequate.

"Come on," Vidar said with a sigh. "I'll show you how to transport yourself so you can be on your way. Best not to keep Odin waiting…"

* * *

Several hours later, Elsa walked with Odin through one of the many passages of his temple complex.

"I'm still not sure what I should be doing," Elsa confessed during one of their lulls in conversation.

"The Hag will work with you," Odin assured her.

"The Hag?"

"Or the witch, but I personally prefer Hag," he replied with a smile. "Loki killed her husband, who was the previous God of Winter. Before he could absorb all of his soul, she was able to take some for herself and banished Loki from the Celtic lands where she reigns as the Goddess of Winter."

"And he listened?"

"She's also the Goddess of Death," Odin explained. "Suffice it to say, Loki never wished to endure her wrath."

"Why is she helping me," Elsa asked.

"Because for as much as she didn't care for Loki, she hates Cersei. Training you to take the role her firstborn would have had will anger the Summer Goddess, and that apparently amuses the Hag to no end." He saw the worried expression worn by the Pantheon's newest deity and said, "Don't worry so much. You'll figure all this out, for all the stories about her, the Hag isn't as bad as she's made out to be. Just complement her bear wood carvings and you'll be fine," Odin advised.

Before Elsa could question his unusual statement she found herself standing in front of a woman who looked old enough to have been alive before the Heavens were formed. She was hunched, using a cane to support herself. Her features were grizzled and showed signs of a hard life, or a long one at the very least. For as old as she seemed, Elsa could see a sharp mind in the eyes that examined her.

"So, you're the mutt's half-sister," the old woman stated still looking Elsa over. Before she could respond, the Hag nodded her head and stated, "Yup, you'll do. Run off now Odin, I'll guide this young'un."

"Good luck," Odin wished Elsa before taking his leave.

"Tell me, child, what exactly do you know of your place," the Hag asked, looping her free arm through Elsa's left arm.

"What little Odin told me," she confessed.

"I was afraid of that," she said with a sigh. "Vidar's a good man, like his father, but not very good at paying attention to the roles of those around him. Also like his father," she said with a grin.

"You knew Vidar's father," Elsa asked. She didn't know much about him, except that he was a shape shifter like Vidar.

"Skade? I knew him well enough," she answered. "Youngest of five of the late God of the Forest. He didn't get along well with his siblings, all but one were always trying to kill him."

"Odin explained about the sibling rivalries for their parents' power."

"That was part of it, but the other was he was a bastard with some human woman who caught their father's fancy. Didn't matter what the three boys tried, Skade was always able to outsmart them. Until one day they didn't leave him any choice and he had to kill them for his own survival. His half-sister helped him, never having much love for her other brothers. To thank her, he gave her two of the three souls, and went off to find his place in the Norse lands. It's where he met your mother, and sired his only son."

"What happened to his sister?"

"Pocahontas took her father's place as Goddess of the Forest upon her father's passing."

"How did Skade die," Elsa asked hesitantly.

"He was helping Odin fight off the Jotunn the last time they invaded Asgard. They're man eating giants," she explained at Elsa's confused look. "He fought well, almost making it out of the battle unscathed. It was the last one who was able to call upon some last reserve of strength to shove his sword into his neck. He died well," the hag said matter of factly, "did us all proud."

"Does Vidar know this story?"

"He asks to hear the tale every time he visits with the Muses," she laughed.

"Sounds like him," Elsa said with a smile

"Enough of history lessons," the old woman said, sobering up. "You must now be presented to the Pantheon where you'll be announced as the next Goddess of Winter. It's there you'll give the name you choose to go by."

"What do you mean?"

"Every deity must decide what the mortals refer to them as. Some chose their given names, but most pick a new name to be called. Mine is Cailleach."

"Cailleach? But Odin called you…"

"The Hag," she finished when Elsa trailed off. "It's how many refer to me, blaming me for the snow or the fact everyone must die. It doesn't bother me, I mostly ignore them and focus on my wood cutting. It helps me relax. Ah here we are, the great hall," she announced as they stopped in front of a pair of giant wooden doors. "Are you ready?"

"No," Elsa said, overwhelmed.

"Too bad, in ya go!" With a strength that seemed to come out of nowhere, the old woman shoved Elsa through the doors. She almost landed on her face, and was able to catch herself in the nick of time. She was silently congratulating herself on this feat when she looked up just to see she was standing at the front of a room jam packed with people. Elsa's face reddened as she realized she had almost face planted in front of the entire Pantheon.

Odin approached her with a smirk. "Still think I was harsh to call her a hag?"

"Not anymore," Elsa muttered.

Odin barked out a laugh, before putting his left arm around her shoulder and facing the rest of the Pantheon. Elsa was able to recognize a few present from their representations in their respective temples, but most were unknown to her. She did note that the Goddess of Summer was nowhere to be found.

As Odin spoke, introducing her to the other deities, Elsa made eye contact with her brother. She could see the hurt in his eyes and sense his pain. Nervously biting her lip, she reached out to try a sense exactly what he was feeling. She was almost overwhelmed by the strength of his grief, and his belief that he should not still be alive. He believed Elsa hated him and did not feel like he ever deserved her forgiveness for what he had done.

She was pulled from this when she heard Odin ask, "What name do you wish the mortals to know you as?"

Glancing back at her brother, she suddenly had a realization on how she could extend an olive branch to him.

Looking out over the assembled Gods and Goddess, she said loudly, "I will go as Skadi."

Her brother's head shot up, and they made eye contact again as Odin said, "As you wish. Go now and meet your new brothers and sisters."

She made her way through the crowd, accepting congratulations from those she passed as she approached her brother.

When she finally stood in front of him, neither spoke, both unsure what to say. Finally, Vidar asked, "Why did you choose that name?"

"Because it's the female version of your father's name. He was a hero and deserves to be remembered." Elsa tentively put her arms on his shoulders and said, "You're my brother and the only family I have left. I don't want to lose you too."

Vidar responded by pulling her into a hug and weeping loudly into her shoulder. She held her brother until he had no more tears left in him. They quietly made their way to a large couch in front of one of the many fireplaces that littered the hall. They sat in silence before Vidar broke with a small laugh. Looking at her brother curiously, he said, "You're the Goddess of the Hunt."

"Among other things," Elsa responded, still not understanding her brother's amusement.

"I'm a shape shifting dire wolf," he explained. Seeing she still didn't understand, he clarified, "It means I answer to you, my baby sister." They stared at each other for a minute before they both started laughing so hard tears were running.

"Could this day get anymore surreal," Elsa asked, once they had both calmed down.

"Probably not," Vidar replied.

They sat and watched the fire in companionable silence for a while longer before making their way to their separate rooms provided to them to settle in for the night.

The following months saw Elsa's time dominated by Cailleach, learning to control her abilities and how to balance her power with the other deities of the seasons. Fortunately it was spring, so she had some time to learn how to control her abilities. Or she would have, if the Southern Gods hadn't declared open war with the Northern Gods. Cersei led the southern deities, using the supposed crimes against her family as a rallying cry.

The Summer Goddess had underestimated the strength of the North, and after a short, but brutal war, Cersei lay dead at the feet of Odin, her body littered with arrows from Elsa's bow. Her thirteen sons and three daughters all knelt behind their mother's body, hands and feet bound. The only one who did not have her hands bound was the oldest daughter, who was holding a golden haired baby.

Elsa stood to Odin's right, bow in hand and her brother standing behind her. She was no longer the timid woman who'd had the role of Winter Goddess unwillingly thrust upon her. Due to her position as the Goddess of Winter, she was forced to assume the position of one of Odin's top generals and with the help of her brother and the Goddess of Death, she'd managed to lead those she commanded to key victories, earning her the respect of the rest of the Pantheon.

Now with the Goddess of Summer dead, at Elsa's hand, they had received the unconditional surrender of the South. All the rebelling deities had agreed to the punishment handed out by Odin and swore their fealty to him. All that was left to deal with was the fate of Cersei's children.

"I should have all your heads for everything caused by your family," Odin said angrily. "However, since all this started because of crimes against the Winter Goddess, I leave your fate in her hands."

"Me," Elsa demanded. Odin nodded as Elsa looked over the children. '_Children_,' she internally scoffed. The youngest was born almost a century before her.

"Alderic, do you and your siblings swear fealty to Odin and the will of the Pantheon as well as give up all claims to the dominion of winter?" He glared up at her through the blonde hair covered half his face, hate in his forest green eyes. "I have no desire to execute you and your kin," Elsa stated coolly. "That does not mean I wouldn't hesitate to do so."

"Think carefully on your answer lad," Vidar warned. "The lives of your family depend on you."

"You mean the life of your daughter," Alderic snarled at the shape shifter, indicating with his head towards the infant in his sister's arms. He turned to glare at the Winter Goddess once more, before growling out, "On the graves of my parents, I give my oath to serve Odin and the will of the Pantheon. I also give up the claim to my birthright, now and forever, to the domain of winter. As the head of what is left of my family, I speak for all of us."

Elsa turned to Odin, who was looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "The crimes were not committed by them, but their parents. They deserve the chance to redeem their names, and perhaps, in time, earn your trust enough for this," the Winter Goddess said as she transferred the soul of the Summer Goddess to Odin.

"Very well," he said before turning back to Alderic and his siblings. Elsa watched as he gave each of the children a role in a probational status. "Be thankful she was the one who decided your fate, for what I had planned for you lot would have ended far worse."

Once she had been dismissed, Elsa went in search of Cailleach. She found the old woman in a little shack in the woods, working on yet another wood carving of a bear.

"Ah, good to see you dear," Cailleach said as soon as Elsa entered. "I was hoping to get a chance to say goodbye."

"Are you going somewhere," Elsa asked with a small smile, leaning against a wall. It had taken sometime, but the old woman had grown on her, and she considered her one of her few friends.

"Soon," she answered evasively. "Odin, don't just stand there like an idiot, come in."

Elsa turned to see her friend shyly enter. "I didn't mean to intrude; I just wished to talk to Elsa."

"Don't you worry about that, you'll have her alone soon enough, for now it's my time. I heard about your decision concerning the children of the Summer Goddess. Most would have killed them without another thought. Why didn't you?"

"They were just following their parents," Elsa said defensively. "Any of us would have done the same. They deserved a second chance."

"Merciful," Cailleach said almost to herself as she put the finishing touches on her carving, "another reason to choose you."

"Excuse me," Elsa asked.

"Tell me dearie," Cailleach said as if she had never spoken, "did Odin ever tell you the ways a God can die?"

"Just that they can fall in battle," Elsa replied, unsure where the conversation was going.

"That's one way," she agreed, giving her piece a final look over before placing her wood crafting tools to the side. "Another is if a deity has lived so long their body becomes too tired to continue."

"Cailleach, you're not that old," Odin interjected.

"Boy, I was ancient when your father was still a young man," she said with smirk. Properly chastised, he quieted down and let her speak. "My time has come and I had no children. I want to pass my soul onto you and give you control of my domain of death."

"I-I don't want-" Elsa tried to say, but was quickly interrupted.

"I wasn't asking girl," Cailleach said with a cackle. "I told you I'm giving it to you. You have wisdom and mercy, traits needed to be the Mistress of Death. Make sure she knows what she's doing, Odin. Would be disastrous if she screwed this one up. Bye now!"

Just like that the old woman disappeared, and Elsa felt an energy course through like when she killed Loki, but not as intense. As soon as it had passed, she looked at Odin who just sighed and said, "Looks like we have a few more things to go over…"

* * *

When Elsa had become the Goddess of Winter, every temple in the north had replaced Loki's likeness with hers and she made sure all the priests were paying homage to her instead of him. However, Elsa did not take the same steps to replace her likeness with Cailleach, she even allowed the Celtic world to use that name instead of making them take Skadi. When questioned, she defended her actions, stating it was important that they simply remembered the Goddess of Winter and Death, who they pictured as they did so was irrelevant.

As time went on, she became less and less like the warm and happy young girl she had been before and slowly turned into the distant Ice Goddess. She kept away from most of the other deities, Vidar and Belle being her only real confidants, and she had only let the Dream Goddess in because of she refused to let Elsa shut her out.

After the war most of the Northern Gods saw her as a leadership figure, despite her relative youth, and viewed her authority second only to Odin. He might have seen that as a threat if she had not made it obvious she had no desire to usurp his authority.

For the most part her life was dominated by her responsibilities as the Goddess of Winter and Death, completing the same routines every day, never deviating from her course. Until almost two and a half centuries later Alderic decided to renew the feud between the North and South, once again thrusting Elsa into a role she did not want. The only difference was this time she didn't have Odin to stand at her side. She regretted being at odds with her close friend and a man who had done so much to help her.

Truth was, she was feeling lost with the rising tensions. She knew she was doing the right thing in theory, but she was starting to doubt her actions. What was she really accomplishing by withdrawing from the Pantheon? Clearly that didn't change anything, as the Southern Gods were still abusing mortals. All her actions truly accomplished was isolating the North from everyone else, making it easier to be attacked…

Brushing those thoughts aside, she went to DunBroch for her festival at the winter equinox. She always made a point of attending, and the enthusiasm of the Highlanders always made her smile and seemed to lighten her burdens.

When she arrived the night before, she noticed celebrating at the castle and went to investigate. She watched as King Fergus announced his granddaughter's safe return and introduced the Hound Master's family to the assembled revelers to be lauded as heroes responsible for her safe return, laughing to herself at Kristoff's obvious discomfort. She was trying to catch sight of the prodigal granddaughter when something else caught her attention, causing her world to stop.

A beautiful girl, no older than ten, with auburn hair in twin braids and a blue dress with gold trim was next to Kristoff, standing out amongst her family almost as if she was glowing. It took Elsa a while to realize that it was her soul, pure and kind, causing her to shine like that.

All Elsa knew was that for a brief moment in time, it was almost as if the past two and a half centuries never happened, and in that instant everything fell away. She was that happy farm girl again and everything was simple: this girl was beautiful and Elsa wanted her. But more than that, she wanted to love this girl and be loved in return. It was such as strong urge, she had to force herself to fight claiming her right then. That would be unfair to this girl, and she didn't deserve that. Instead Elsa decided she would court her, although she would have to think on the best way to do that.

The Winter Goddess was touched the next day by the gift Anna had left at her altar and even more so by the heartfelt words she had said before hand. It was that day she had decided the best way to get to know Anna – and for Anna to get to know her – was to enter her dreams. She intentionally made herself Anna's age so she would be more approachable.

The Winter Goddess had entered just in time. Hans, the God of Chaos and Alderic's youngest brother, had invaded Anna's dream posing as a fog and almost forced his claim upon her. She drove him off, and made sure with the help of Belle that he and his brothers would not be able to enter again.

The next few years were the happiest Elsa could remember, even before she became a Goddess. Every day she felt her feelings for the auburn haired girl grow, stronger than she even though possible…

* * *

The memory ended, and Anna felt her head spinning at the strength of the emotions that were attached. Had she not already been sitting she undoubtingly would have collapsed.

"I-I don't understand," Anna said, overwhelmed.

"Just breathe, _minn dýrr_," Elsa replied, tentatively placing a hand on Anna's back.

_"_Why me," Anna gasped out. "If you're really a goddess why would you choose a nobody like me?"

"You're not a nobody," Elsa said passionately as she placed her hands on either side of Anna's face. "Don't ever think that of yourself! I choose you because I love you! For the first time in forever you helped me feel alive. You give me the strength I need to get through everything Alderic tries to throw at me to start a war. You're my everything, Anna," Elsa said as she pulled Anna into an embrace and wrapped her arms around her back.

Anna buried her face into the crook of Elsa's neck and started sobbing, her emotions finally getting the better of her. "Please don't let this just be a dream," she choked out.

"It's not," Elsa assured her love, "and as soon as I can I'll prove it to you."

* * *

A/N2: So, lot of information for this world put out that may not have made much sense. I'll sum up in case I confused some people:

-The Gods can die, it's the soul that is immortal

-Souls are passed on to the children of Gods unless God is killed in battle, in which case the soul is drawn to whoever killed them

-Whenever a God sire's a child, a small fragment of each parent's soul is given to the child at conception, acting as a receiver for their parent(s)'s soul once they die (unless taken by another God in battle)

-The parent's soul is equally divvied up between number of children sired

-A God's strength is dependent upon what percentage of their parent's soul they receive, usually causing a rivalry between siblings, but not always the case

-Collecting too many souls can overwhelm a God's body, killing him

-If a God lives too long, the body can give out, but takes a really long time

The Jotunn are part of Norse mythology. The Gods and Goddess were always fighting them off from invading Asgard, where Valhalla was located.

Yes, I know Cersei Lannister isn't Disney, but when trying to think of a good villain to make the Goddess of Summer and raise a little shits like Hans and Alderic, she was the best one that came to mind.

That should cover the basic points. If anyone is still confused, PM me and I'll be happy to explain. At over 6500 words, didn't want to draw this chapter out anymore with long explanations...


	11. Warnings

Helga was getting frustrated. She was in the woods a good distance from the village with the blacksmith's son, Finn, trying to lose her virginity to him. Not that she actually cared about him, she just saw him staring after that wench Ingrid, and there was no way in Hel she was going to be bested, especially to a social nobody like her! So she lured Finn to the woods that night and stripped down naked as the day she was born. If only this boy would participate! He kept pulling back and looking around.

Finally, he stepped back completely and said, "Sorry, I just can't."

"What do you mean, you can't," Helga demanded angrily as Finn picked his shirt up off the ground, the only thing Helga was able to take off of him before he pulled away.

"Just that," he said with a shrug not looking at her. "I gotta go."

"Fine," she yelled after him, "leave! I didn't even like you anyway!"

Helga kicked the ground in frustration when he didn't even turn to acknowledge she had spoken. She turned to pick up her clothes from where she'd left them just to find they were missing. She looked around the area trying to find her missing clothes. "Finn," she yelled angrily into the woods. "This isn't funny! Give me back my clothes! FINN!" Hearing a twig snapped behind her, she angrily whirled to face the bastard.

Just to come face to face with the largest wolf she'd ever seen. Her legs gave out in fear, and she started crab walk away from the beast. It had midnight black fur and its dark blue eyes seemed to glare at her.

"Please don't hurt me," Helga whimpered. The giant wolf merely snarled angrily in response before snapping at her. Terrified, she took off running back to the village, her clothes long forgotten. The dire wolf watched her leave before turning and heading back to the hole she had started. She filled it up, burying the blonde's clothes and then taking off into the night.

* * *

Kristoff was walking around the village square helping the guards with patrols. A few nights ago, a patrol had rung the alarm bell waking the entire village. A dire wolf had been spotted nearby and the village was on alert. Guntar, the village leader, had ordered all families ensure no one was missing. All was calm until his wife, Lady Astrid, came out of their home in a panic shouting Helga was missing. Kristoff and his father were part of the volunteers to go into the forest to look for the girl when she appeared. She was screaming about a giant wolf chasing her, but no one really heard what she had said since they were distracted by the fact that she was completely naked.

Guntar quickly removed his cloak and covered his daughter, before sending her off with an angry look with his wife. He then ordered for patrols to be doubled until the wolf had been dealt with. No one had seen any trace of it since, and Kristoff secretly hoped it stayed that way. From Helga's description, he was sure it was Shadow. He didn't want to see Anna's reaction if they managed to kill the wolf.

His thoughts were interrupted when someone suddenly slapped an arm around his shoulder. Startled, he turned to see it was Asal who had a giant grin at sneaking up on the taller boy.

"Truly, I feel so much better knowing you're looking out for us with your keen powers observation. Clearly nothing gets by you!"

"Normally true, but you're so short, it's hard to see you," Kristoff replied dryly.

"Ah, and a quick wit," he replied. "I shall truly sleep well! Now you just need to muster up your courage and send your letter to DunBroch and you'll be unstoppable!"

"I never should have told you I still hadn't sent that letter," Kristoff mumbled, face red as he looked away.

"Leave the boy alone, bard," came a gruff voice behind them. They both turned to see Baldar, the high priest of Skadi, sword attached to his back. He and the other priests of Skadi had volunteered to help patrols, although Kristoff knew it was just to keep the dire wolf safe.

"I was just teasing, priest," Asal responded with a smile, "I don't mean anything by it."

"It's not your place to interfere," Balder said solemnly. "If he chooses to keep this to himself instead doing the courtesy of letting the young royal know his feelings that his business."

"Does everyone know about that," Kristoff demanded as Asal laughed.

"Your sister was very… passionate… in her prayers to Odin to grant you courage," Baldar replied with a small smile. "I apologize, but it was difficult not to overhear since his altar is close to the Winter Goddess'"

"At least tell me why you refuse to send it," Asal asked once he'd sobered up.

"Because I embarrassed myself in front of her entire family," Kristoff said angrily. "Happy?"

"Now that's quite a claim considering all the Highlander men like to wear skirts," the bard shot back.

"The last night we were in DunBroch there was a feast," Kristoff explained. "It was to celebrate the Spring Equinox, but there was also suitors there vying for Princess Merida and Alex's attention. They kept one upping each other with exaggerated tales of bravery about all the men and monsters they've slain."

"I'm sure the princess saw through the hyperbole," Baldar assured him.

"Yeah, and she kept trying to avoid them and talk to me. They noticed and kept talking down to me, making me sound like some dumb farm boy, saying things like I didn't even know which end to hold a sword or I'd never proven myself in combat since I refused to join in the sparring contest earlier in the day. They followed us around taunting me until I snapped. I shouted they'd clearly never fought in a real battle otherwise they'd never be so eager to fight. The entire hall got quiet and I realized everyone had heard me. I took off before I could embarrass myself in front of Alex further and made sure to avoid them all until we left."

"It takes wisdom to know when to use a blade," Baldar replied sagely.

"Wisdom those idiots clearly lacked," Asal agreed.

"You learned that lesson at a young age, Kristoff, and despite your fear, you still managed to save the young royal's life. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

"I embarrassed Alex, and by extension her grandfather the king."

"If you'd embarrassed the Bear King, you'd have known," Asal laughed.

"Look, Asal is right," Kristoff said angrily as he shoved the bard's arm off his shoulders, "I am a coward. I've barely been able to touch a sword since that day I found Alex, and it's only been to train with my father. I'm only helping now because I don't want Shadow to get hurt. It'd be better if Alex just forgot about me," he said with a defeated sigh.

"What makes you think that? Are you some sort of love expert," Asal asked sarcastically.

"Just leave me alone," Kristoff huffed as he walked away from the men. He saw his sister walking towards him and he raised his arm in greeting.

"Hey Kristoff," she said once she got close, "any sight of Sha… I mean the dire wolf?" Kristoff inwardly gave a sigh of relief. They couldn't risk anyone else knowing they'd hidden a dire wolf.

"None. Apparently Helga was the only one beside the patrol to see it." The siblings shared a smirk at the memory of the night she ran into town naked. Kristoff looked around, just for the smile to disappear from his face. "Speaking of the witch…"

Anna turned her head to see Helga approaching, an angry look in her eye. Helga had become the laughing stock of the village, and clearly she was going to go after her favorite target to make herself feel better.

"Hey, don't let her get to you," Kristoff said softly. "She's so bitter about life that she has to bring others down to feel any happiness, don't give her the satisfaction."

"My, my," Helga said with fake friendliness as she came up to the siblings, "how nice it is to see you found time to spend with us, Anna, what with that girlfriend of yours taking up so much of your time…"

Anna forced a smile for her brother's benefit even though she knew he could see through it. He was about to say something, when suddenly a loud whoop went out at the village entrance and they all turned to see what was going on.

Alex came charging in on the back of a horse, her raven black hair flying behind her and dark blue eyes full of mirth. When she got to them, she jumped off her horse and practically tacked Anna in a hug.

"I've missed you, _Piuthar_," Alex said, holding her friend tightly. She let go enough to hold Anna at arm's length and said with a large smile, "I told you I'd be here for your birthday."

"I knew you would be. I didn't doubt you or anything," Anna said nervously as her friend looked her over.

"You know you're a terrible liar, right," she observed with a smirk.

"Shut up," Anna said with a laugh as she pulled her friend in for another hug.

"Who's this boy, Anna," Helga asked with a smirk. "It is a boy, right? There's no way a self-respecting woman would go out in breaches and… that top," Helga said, curling her lip in disgust at Alex's outfit. She wore a light grey cloth shirt, brown cloth riding pants, and matching brown riding boots.

Alex rose an eyebrow before turning to Anna and asked, "Who's the fatty?"

"What did you call me, peasant," Helga demanded, face red with anger.

"Adorable," Alex said with a condescending laugh, "honestly, where did you find this one?"

"I am the daughter of the village leader!"

"And I'm the heir to the throne of DunBroch," Alex said with a shrug. "What's your point?"

"Oh, Anna, did you finally find someone to impersonate the princess just so you could pretend you have real friends," Helga asked with a laugh.

Alex looked her over with a contemplative look before she started laughing. "Wait a minute, you're the village leader's daughter are you?"

"That's right," she answered, suspicious.

"So you're the streaker?"

"You heard about that," Kristoff asked, noticing how red Helga's face was getting.

"Are you kidding," Alex laughed. "It's all anyone would talk about in the villages we passed through."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Helga insisted, face getting even redder.

"Yup, she's famous," Alex added.

"Shut up," Helga demanded through clenched teeth.

Alex continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "I honestly thought Aunt Merida was going to fall out of her chair when we first heard it she was laughing so hard."

"I said shut up," Helga shouted, grabbing Alex's shirt in both her hands.

"It would be wise to let me go, lass," Alex said, eyes burrowing into Helga's.

"What are you going to do about it, peasant."

"I won't do a thing, but the DunBroch royal guard isn't exactly forgiving."

"Still holding onto that lie?"

"I tried to warn you," Alex said with a sigh.

Just as Helga was going to reply, she felt someone grab her from behind and throw her to the ground. She was about to yell in complaint when noticed a blade at her throat, pinning her to the ground.

"'A princess does not engage in fisticuffs'," Alex said, mimicking Queen Elinor before saying in a normal voice, "that's what the royal guards are for, apparently."

"Please, don't hurt me," Helga begged. "I'm so, so sorry!"

"Don't apologize to me," Alex said with a shrug. "It's not my day you tried to shit on."

"I'm sorry Anna," Helga quickly gulped. "I'm sorry for everything I said! Just please don't kill me!"

"What say you _Piuthar_," Alex asked, putting her arm around her friend's shoulder and giving her a quick wink.

Anna let out a quick giggle before saying, "Let her go. I think she's learned her lesson."

"You always know how to ruin my fun," Alex said with a dramatic sigh. "Let her go, I don't think her shadow will be darkening my path anytime soon."

"No! I swear," she agreed still on the ground. The guardsman removed his blade dutifully before stepping back to join the others who had ridden to the village with her. They were close enough to respond should Alex signal them, but not too close to eavesdrop on her conversation.

"Wait right here," Anna said excitedly, "I gotta go get mama and papa! Don't move!"

As soon as Anna was out of ear shot, Kristoff watched curiously as Alex put out her hand to help Helga stand up. As soon as she was upright, she pulled the blonde close and whispered with a dangerous gleam in her eyes, "You even think of going near Anna again, and a snap from a dire wolf will be the least of your concerns. Am I clear?"

"Y-yes," she choked out before pulling away and running off.

She made eye contact with Kristoff and shrugged. "Just wanted to drive home the point she should leave Anna be."

"That'll last only for as long as you're here," Kristoff pointed out.

"Maybe, maybe not," she replied cryptically. Quickly changing subjects, Alex stated, "So I never got a letter back from you."

Kristoff felt his face redden as he tried to think of a way to answer her. "It's… complicated," he finally said with a sigh.

"That's a load of shit," Alex responded heatedly. "Either you feel something for me or you don't. If you don't just tell me, and I'll drop it," she said angrily. "Just don't play games with me, I don't have time for it."

"I do feel something for you," he answered, trying to placate the girl in front of him

"Then why haven't you told me? Why are you avoiding me?"

"Because you deserve someone better than me," Kristoff answered, his voice raising.

"You mean like one of those idiot nobles," Alex demanded, raising her voice to match Kristoff's, "whose only interest is my title?"

"No, not like them! Someone who actually cares about you, someone who'll protect you without trying to own you."

"So someone like you, just not you," Alex asked.

Kristoff sighed in defeat. "Your family would never allow it," he said after a long silence, "especially after my outburst at the feast…"

"Wait is that what this is all about," Alex asked, shocked. "You think I was embarrassed when you put those guys in their place?"

"Your family is full of warriors, and I implied no one should go looking for fights. I'm surprised your grandfather didn't throw me out right then."

"Are you kidding, he loved your answer!"

"He did?" Kristoff was confused. How could the legendary bear king not be angry with him?

"My grandfather has fought in many battles and knows the cost of war. After you'd left, he ripped into those little shits and offered to send them to the nearest war front he could find. Their bravado quickly faded and they left with their tails tucked between their legs."

"Really," he asked, suddenly hopeful.

"Really," Alex replied with a smile. "He knows you're no coward. You defended me from a notorious bandit without even knowing who I was; it would take a lot for you to lose favor in his eyes."

"Why choose me," Kristoff asked, a question that had been bothering him for a while.

"Because you cared about me before you even knew about my bloodline," she answered honestly. "You don't want my title, just a simple life in this village raising a family. And do you want to know a secret?"

"What's that?"

"That's all I want out of life too," she confessed.

"Really," Kristoff asked. He could feel his head starting to spin at her words, he never thought she'd ever want the same thing as him.

"Really," she confirmed with a smile. "Now will you promise to stop avoiding me?"

"Yes," Kristoff replied sheepishly. "What does your family think about all this?"

Alex gave a tired sigh before answering, "Aunt Merida and I had a long talk about it. She's not thrilled at the thought of me leaving DunBroch, but she also knows that if she just forbids me from leaving I would probably just run away like my mother did."

"What about the throne?"

"I don't want it, and the monarchy will certainly go on without me," she replied with a smirk. "It would be a while until any move happened, but it's not like there's any rush, right," Alex asked, smirk still firmly in place.

"I-I… well…" he stuttered, face flushed red. Fortunately for Kristoff, Anna came running up, their parents right behind her.

Smiling broadly, Alex quickly moved towards the pair. "Uncle Erland, Aunt Dagny," she said, hugging both of them. They both flushed at the term of endearment by the young royal.

"It's good to see you, your highness," Erland said gruffly.

"Please don't call me that," Alex pleaded. "The second best part of coming here is no one treats me like I'm royalty. Please don't ruin that for me."

"As you say, _dóttir_," he replied with a laugh, causing Alex to smile widely.

"Will you be joining us for dinner, Alex," Dagny asked.

"I don't want to be a bother…"

"Shut up," Anna said as she hit her shoulder, "you know you're not."

"Anna is right, although she could work on how she treats her friends," Dagny replied as she gently chastised her daughter with a smile.

"In that case, I'd love to join you for dinner, just let me tell the royal guard. Part of my concessions with my royal aunt for coming here while she went on to Arendelle was to not ditch the guardsmen."

"A concession you've already violated," the guard captain stated as he walked up to the group. He had dark red hair and green eyes that seemed to be able to penetrate anything he looked at. He stood a head taller than Kristoff and was glaring at the young royal. "You charged off with only a few words warning, leaving your escort behind."

"That was the point, Sir Bryant," Alex replied with a smile. "Those 'few words' were 'race ya!'"

Barely holding back a tired sigh, he turned his attention away from the source of his frustration. "Master Erland, I trust we'll be able to come to some arrangement so that we may look after the princess while she stays within your home?"

"Of course, guard captain."

"Very good, I'll be by later to make arrangements," Sir Bryant said formally while bowing slightly in farewell.

They watched the captain join his men before Anna broke the silence saying, "You really know how to bring out the best in people."

"I can't help myself," Alex said with a shrug. "He's just so serious, I've made it my goal to give him an eye twitch."

Anna just laughed as she looped her arm with Alex's as they made their way back to the farm house.

* * *

That night Anna hoped to see Elsa in her dreams. She was still reeling from everything Elsa had shown her, and wasn't sure what to think. As if to give her space, Elsa hadn't appeared in her dreams since the night she revealed her past and Anna missed her.

She entered her dreams just to be extremely disappointed; not only was Elsa absent, so was Shadow.

"They both had business that required their attention," said a woman who suddenly appeared in front of her. She was a beautiful brown haired woman in a simple blue and white dress. Smiling down at her, she explained, "Elsa asked I keep you company tonight, I hope you don't mind, Anna. Is it alright if I call you that?"

"Niorun," Anna asked, breathless. She recognized the Goddess of Dreams from the statue that graced her temple.

"That is one of my many names," she replied with a gentle smile, "but you may call me Belle."

"I-I don't understand what's going on," Anna confessed.

"I can imagine all this must be overwhelming for you," Belle said sympathetically.

"It's just that I'm a simple farm girl who one day started having dreams with a pretty girl just to have her tell me that she's the Goddess of Winter. And now the Goddess of Dreams is not only asking if she can be on a first name basis with me, but wants to spend time with me as well… You can understand why I would question all of this, right?"

Belle let out a small chuckle before responding, "Yes, it is perfectly reasonable to have your doubts. I can assure you it is all real, as is Elsa's feelings for you. It's been a long time since I've seen Elsa this happy and I know it has everything to do with her relationship with you."

"What caused her to close herself off," Anna asked quietly. "She showed me her memories, but it wasn't clear what caused her to withdraw."

"Knowing her, she intentionally skimmed over that part," Belle sighed. "The answer is complicated, and it is not necessarily my place to tell you. However, suffice it to say the war was hard on her. Taking a life changes a person, and when you're actions, or inactions, cause a loss of life that also affects you."

"I guess that makes sense," Anna replied, thinking how Kristoff changed after the day he killed the bandit.

"She carries a lot of guilt with her, chief of which was allowing any of the Goddess of Summer's children to live. Immediately after the war, she began to question herself, any decision that she had made based on emotion was wrong and caused self-loathing to bubble up inside herself until all that was left a very cold, logical person locked in her routines controlling the domain of winter and death. Over time I was able to get her to open up a little, but the work I did pales in comparison to how much you have done for her."

"I didn't do anything special," Anna said sheepishly, looking at the ground.

"Don't you see, you didn't have to," Belle replied with a smile. "Just being you was enough to break through the ice she had built around her heart."

"I don't know what to make of all this," Anna sighed as she sat heavily on the ground. "All I know is one day I fell in love with a dream girl and the next she's telling me she's the Goddess Skadi. And do you want to know the most confusing thing of all this?"

"What's that," Belle asked as she gracefully sat next to the auburn haired girl.

"That while a part of me wants to pretend none of this ever happened and go back to my simple farm life, another part wants nothing more than to hold her and never let her go. I-I really miss her."

"Do you still love her," Belle prodded.

Anna bit her lip as she contemplated the Goddess' question. It was the same question she'd been asking herself for the better part of a week. "I think I do," Anna finally answered. "Even if everything she showed me is true, even if I don't understand how a powerful Goddess could want a lowly farm girl, even if the thought of all this being more than a dream terrifies me, I still love her."

"Then you should tell her," Belle advised, a happy smile on her face.

"How? She's been avoiding my dreams."

"Go to her altar," Belle answered as if that was the most obvious solution. "We hear every prayer sent to us from it, it's why the temples exist in the first place, to give you a place to come to us."

"But what if this all just a dream," Anna groused. "How weird would that be to walk up to an altar and say, 'Hey, I know you've been visiting my dreams and I just want you to know that I love you even if you are a Goddess.' I mean, if this is just a dream, don't you think Skadi would be a little offended?"

"Trust me, we've heard stranger things than that," she laughed in reply. "The stories I could tell you…" She looked Anna over who seemed to be internally debating her next move. "Enough of this," Belle said standing. "I promised Elsa I would entertain you tonight, and I always keep my promises. Now, have you ever heard of a land to the East called China?" Anna merely shook her head in reply as she rose from the ground. "Well, it's a fascinating place, and they've come up with many amazing creations, none more so than something called fireworks. Let me show you," she said as she waved her arms, changing the landscape. Exotic buildings and foreign sounds filled the dream, but Anna was too distracted by the bursts of colorful lights exploding in the sky to fully notice. The wonder of it all caused a giant smile to fill her face, one that made its way to her face in the waking world.

* * *

Helga ran as fast as she could, despite know how futile the effort was.

This was the seventh night in a row she'd had this nightmare. It always started out the same, she was running, although she didn't know why, then something would happen; one time her feet froze to the ground, another she was blasted to the ground by a heavy snowstorm, still another she fell through thin ice and was trapped in freezing water. The dream always ended the same: a woman with snow white hair, pale skin, and ice blue eyes coming upon her, anger dominating her otherwise beautiful face. She would always wake up in terror before the woman would get to her, but tonight the dream was different.

Tonight she knew exactly why she was running, tonight she was being chased by the dire wolf she'd encountered in the forest. She ran as fast as she could, but it was no use, the wolf easily caught her and pinned her with her back on the ground. The wolf was snarling at her, snout inches from her face. She could feel the hot, musky breath coming from the wolf. Helga tried to tell herself it was just a dream and force herself to wake up, but it was no use.

"You are not in control here." Helga watched as the blonde haired woman stepped into view to the left of the wolf. "This is not your domain, you have no power here. This is your only warning, mortal: change your ways, stop tormenting those you believe to be inferior to you. I assure you, the terror you feel now at a dream of a dire wolf pinning you down will pale in comparison to the terror you will feel if this should happen in the waking world. Do you understand?"

Helga was too terrified to think, let alone talk. Impatient at her silence, the wolf snarled louder, prompting her into action.

"I'll change! I swear! Just please leave me alone," she begged, tears streaming down her face.

"This is your only chance, I suggest you do not waste it. I will not be so merciful should we meet again."

Helga woke up panting, sweat pouring down the side of her face. Relief flooded her at the realization it was just a dream, and she let out an embarrassed laugh that she let a dream get to her. Just then she heard a loud howl from just outside the village and an icy wind blew in from her open window. She felt her blood run cold as she ran to shut the window, knowing she not only shut the window before she went to bed, but had also locked it.

It had just been a dream… Right?

* * *

A/N: It amused me just how many messages I got stating how much people hated Helga. For those that wanted to see Elsa take even more steps to go after Helga, don't worry, Helga's gonna be one of those slow learners. Definitely have plans for her lol

FYI: _Piuthar_ is gaelic for sister, _dóttir_ is Norse for daughter

For those who thought the last chapter felt rushed at the end, you're right it was, and I'm sorry. Towards the end, I just had to wrap it up and get on with the story, but as I tried to start here, I plan on trying to answer any open questions in future chapters. Thank you everyone for your input, I do take it into consideration when writing future chapters. For instance, I initially never planned for this to be over 10 chapters, and now here I am posting Chapter 11.

Sorry Elsa had such a small role in this chapter, I felt bad for ignoring Kristoff for so long that I finally gave him his own chapter. He was feeling left out lol. Don't worry, she'll have a larger role in the next chapter, hopefully it'll be up soon. Thank you again for all those who leave reviews!


	12. The Temple

Kristoff was stargazing in one of the fields near his home trying to sort through everything going through his mind. It was strange how his conversation with Alex earlier had simultaneously cleared up a few things while at the same time making it more confusing than ever. Just then the source of his frustration came strolling through the fields. Alex didn't seem to notice him, so he sat up and decided to make his presence known.

"What were you doing out there," he called out, noticing how she seemed to start a bit in surprise.

Recovering quickly, she made her way towards him and sat next to him. "Taking a stroll," she answered easily.

"At this time of night?"

"Said the man lying around an empty field."

"Staring up at the sky relaxes me," he replied with a shrug, "besides, this is my family's land. What's your excuse?"

"I missed this land," Alex sighed. "Much like star gazing for you, walking at night relaxes me. I love taking in the familiar sounds and smells that I've missed the past seven years. Hopefully, if Aunt Merida is successful, this won't be just a visit."

"What are you talking about," Kristoff asked as he leaned back on his arms.

"The whole purpose of the visit to Arendelle and outlying villages was to build up trade relations and strengthen alliances. Before we left, Grandfather decided we needed an embassy in these lands and I volunteered to help establish it. It was what led to that conversation I mentioned earlier with my aunt."

"What was your family's response," Kristoff asked, feeling his heart pound with nervousness.

Alex heaved a heavy sigh before answering, "Grandmother wasn't happy, and initially forbade it. It was Aunt Merida who was able to calm her down and helped her understand I wasn't trying to run away or abandon them. After a long discussion, I won't bore you with those details, Grandfather came up with a list of what needed to be accomplished on this visit, and if they were met, I'd be allowed to take a position in the embassy to aid whatever ambassador was selected."

"They wouldn't want you to be the ambassador?"

"I'm far too young," Alex scoffed, "besides I'm not nearly politically savvy enough for that. No, odds are I'd inadvertently start a war; better someone else has the responsibility. I'd just be an advisor due to my knowledge of the culture and social norms of your people. Less responsibility, and greater odds I won't have be at the embassy all the time and could live somewhere else. That is, if I had a reason to live elsewhere…"

Kristoff audibly gulped, trying to think how best to respond.

"Look," Alex sighed, the corners of her mouth turning down in a frown, "I'm not looking for a marriage proposal, all I want to know is that there really is something between us and we agree to explore it."

Letting out a relieved sigh, Kristoff smiled and said, "That is something I can agree with."

"Good," she replied her face transforming into a giant smile as she tentatively leaned her head on his shoulder.

Kristoff responded by wrapping an arm around her shoulder when an idea came to him. "Won't Sir Bryant be upset in the morning for ditching your escort?"

"I didn't, they're out there, behind one of the evergreen trees off to the right," Alex huffed, waving in that direction. Kristoff looked over just to see two men in kilts armed with long swords standing at the edge of the wood, one of which who appeared to be drenched.

"Umm… why is the one on the left soaking wet?"

"Oh, Angus," Alex asked after taking a quick look, "he had a hard time making the jump across the creek at one point and fell in. Helped fish him out and told him to go back and dry off, but he refused, stating it was his job to stay with me."

"It shows strength of character he insists on staying despite his discomfort."

Alex snickered and said, "We'll see how much that'll mean to him when he gets a nasty rash on his unmentionables from his kilt ridding up."

Kristoff took a closer look at the man and saw him try to discretely tug at the clothing in question. "Wait here, I'll be right back."

Alex watched curiously as Kristoff went up and talked to the guards before Angus reluctantly agreed to something and turned away, although not before shooting an annoyed look at the young royal.

When Kristoff returned, he put his arm around her and pulled her back with him so that he was laying looking up at the stars again with Alex resting her head on his shoulder.

After a few minutes of silence, her curiosity finally got the better of her and she finally asked, "What did you say to him?"

"I told him that he could go dry himself off and change, that his partner and I would be able to keep you safe until his return. When he tried to protest, I told him I was the one who had kept you safe years ago, and he reluctantly agreed."

"To the mocking remarks of his watch partner, no doubt."

"Why do you think he sent you that dirty look," Kristoff deadpanned. Quickly diverting her attention, he started pointing out the different constellations and soon they were both lost in the beauty of the night sky.

* * *

The next day Anna quietly made her way to the temple complex. She had worn her best outfit, a soft forest green dress with golden embroidery and straps that hung off her shoulders with her grey travel cloak over the dress to protect it from the dusty roads. Upon starting her trek to the temple Anna saw dark clouds threatening rain and decided to pull the hood up over her hair, which she had taken the time to put into an intricate bun.

The temple itself was huge, standing at least two and a half stories and housed an altar to each God. Anna had gone early in the day, and the temple was empty with the exception of the acolytes to the various gods performing their holy duties. Whenever Anna entered the grand temple, she always felt awestruck. The main entrance fed directly into a giant hallway that led straight to an altar to the God Odin. Every altar had a statue of the deity it was dedicated to, however Odin was the largest of all them, reaching almost to the ceiling. On the same wall as his was an altar to each of the Gods of the Seasons; Summer and Fall to his left, Spring and Winter to his right. Lining the other walls were altars dedicated to the rest of the Pantheon.

As she entered the grand temple, Anna noted how roughly half the altars, including the ones dedicated to the God of Summer and Goddess of Spring, were covered and she had heard years ago their priests had been banished from the village. She still didn't understand what was going on, but knew it had something to do with the unending winter that had come upon their land.

Arriving at the altar to Odin, Anna removed her cloak before bowing as she had been taught to do since she was a little girl. Once she had paid a proper amount of respect to the powerful God, she turned to the right and headed towards the altar to the Winter Goddess. Taking a breath to steal her nerves she quietly approached.

Anna was always struck at how different this altar was from all the rest. The altars to the other deities were covered in beautiful cloths with symbols of the god to which it belonged and topped with candles and ornamental incense burners. The Winter Goddess' altar was plain in comparison. She had no cloth covering hers, just a simple white marble stone that her acolytes polished every morning and night. The only thing it had in common with the others was the unlit five foot tripod brazier that every altar had placed to the immediate right of the stone with the exception of Odin's altar, which had one on each side.

Behind the altar itself was the statue of Skadi. It was a replica of the one in the grand temple complex in the North Mountain complete with her brother in his wolf form prowling at her feet. As a testament to her place in the pantheon, her statue as well as the others dedicated to the Gods and Goddesses of the Seasons toward at least twice the height of all the other idols except Odin's, and they were three quarters the size of his. On the wall directly behind the Goddess' image was her symbol. Anna recognized part of it, the six pronged snowflake with a Celtic knot in the middle, as the same that Alex had shown her years ago tattooed on her back. This one, however, was far more detailed, and had more to it, symbols at each point of the snowflake the young girl didn't recognize.

Never taking her eyes off the image of Skadi, Anna placed her offerings, a bouquet of blue and white flowers she had picked in the woods this morning and a small cloth pouch she had filled the night before, on the altar. Biting her lip nervously, Anna got down on her knees, folded her hands, and bowed her head.

"Great Goddess Skadi, please hear my humble prayer," Anna started, her voice timid and unsure. The entire trek here she had debated what she would say. After much internal debate, she had settled on sticking to praying how she had been taught by her parents: first, honor the god and show proper reverence for the power they hold; second, give thanks for any blessings received; finally, only after proper supplication has been shown make any request, either for blessings or forgiveness. In case it was just a dream, she didn't want to risk angering one of the most powerful Goddesses in the Pantheon with any perceived disrespect.

"Thank you for the many blessings you have granted, both to the village and to me. Thank you for blessing our hunters recently, allowing them to bring home several large bears that were able to feed many families and gave us many pelts to help us prepare for the coming winter. I know many have started grumbling about the seemingly unending winter, please forgive them, they do not mean to disrespect you. They just worry about crops and things like that, but I know you care. It's why our hunters have had such successes lately; only having your blessing could explain why every hunting trip into the woods the past few years has ended with no hunters harmed and the large amount of game they are able to haul in. I do not understand what is going on with the seasons, and it is not my place to question, I just want to thank you for remembering us and looking out for our wellbeing."

Anna sighed and raised her head slightly, trying to think best on how to say the next part, the confession that was weighing down her heart. Hoping for inspiration, Anna cast her gaze upward, just to notice flames burning brightly from the brazier. '_When did that get lit_,' Anna thought to herself, not remembering anyone approaching and doing that. She watched the flame silently for a moment, briefly wondering how the acolytes were able to get the fire to burn an ice blue color. She mentally shrugged, assuming some sort of incense was used before turning back to the altar.

Heaving a final sigh, and summoned her courage and said, "Great Goddess, if my next words offend, please forgive me. It is just that for the past seven years a beautiful woman has been joining me in my dreams. Several weeks ago she claimed to be you and I haven't seen her since. If she really is just a dream, please ignore what I am about to say and forgive my ignorance. But if it really is you, if you really are Elsa, there is something I need to tell you."

Anna could feel a heavy silence descend the temple, and it felt like a crowd was watching her. She paused to look around, and although she could see no one else in the temple, the braziers at all the uncovered altars, including Odin's, were lit. '_The acolytes have been busy_,' Anna thought to herself before turning her attention back to the altar in front of her.

"If you really are Elsa, I've had something I've wanted to tell you for a few nights now. I won't lie, I'm still overwhelmed, and completely terrified. Who wouldn't be? I mean you're an all-powerful Goddess and I'm just a simple farm girl with a soft spot for giant wolves… Not that it's a bad thing, since you seem to be fond of them too and-"

The sound of a throat clearing behind her caught Anna's attention. She quickly turned to see Alex leaning against one of the columns with a small smile.

"As amusing as your rambling usually is, you may want to hurry and get to the point; best not to keep the Winter Goddess waiting."

"What are you doing here?"

"I was summoned," Alex explained. "Child of Winter, remember? It means I'm on call regardless of what name the Winter Goddess goes by. Apparently we all needed to gather here for something important."

"Then maybe I should go," Anna said as she started to stand hesitantly.

"No," Alex quickly replied, signaling she should remain, "I think Elsa would freeze me where I stand if I kept you from finishing your thought."

"You know her name," Anna asked.

Alex answered with a smile, "Yes, I know her true name, although that is a long story, one I'm sure the Goddess would prefer I save for later so you can finish here. Take your time, and don't worry, I'll delay the others and make sure you have privacy."

Anna watched her friend depart and join a group of 15 people that had filtered in during her prayer as she gathered her thoughts. "Sorry about that," Anna said quietly as she face forward again. "I tend to ramble a lot and it can sometimes distract me…" She could have sworn in response she felt a hand press into her cheek even though no one was close enough to have done it. The feeling helped give her the courage to press forward, and swallowing past the sudden thickness she felt in her throat said, "What I was trying to say was even though a part of me is terrified about everything, a larger part doesn't care. I really wish you would come back to my dreams because I really miss you and… and I love you. More than I ever thought I could ever love another. I really miss you, please let me see you in my dreams, even if that's the only place I can ever see you," she sighed sadly.

Anna gave the image of Skadi a final look over before slowly rising. Alex approached her and said, "You can stay longer, don't rush yourself because of us."

"No," Anna said, "I've said what I've come here to say."

"And left an offering," Alex observed, looking over the altar. "A bouquet of flowers- good choice in colors by the way, she'll love them- and… a cloth sack?" The young royal looked over at her friend with a raised eyebrow for some explanation.

"I-It's venison jerky, for her brother Vidar," Anna explained, face turning red and looking down in embarrassment. She missed the dark look that crossed Alex's face. "It's for my prayer request that he'll look out for Shadow. You know, cause he's a dire wolf and she's a dire wolf, it would make sense for him to protect her."

"Yes it would," Alex muttered angrily, "it'd also be a first."

"What was that," Anna asked, not having heard what her friend said.

"Don't worry about it," she sighed, forcing her anger away. Intentionally changing the subject, she said, "You could see her now, well if she wasn't hiding herself, that is."

"You were eavesdropping on my prayer? What happened to giving me privacy," Anna demanded.

"You weren't exactly quiet, I wasn't intentionally trying to listen in," she said apologetically.

"Never mind that, what do you mean I can see her now?"

Alex was silent for a moment before asking, "Did you ever wonder how those braziers were lit?"

"Some acolyte's duty, what's your point?"

"Take a close look, Anna," Alex said as she stepped closer. "How many fires have you seen burn like that?"

Huffing a sigh since she didn't understand the point of all this, Anna turned at looked closer at the fire. "What am I looking at?"

"The fact that it burns at such a unique color doesn't strike you as odd?"

"Should it," Anna asked. "I mean, don't they just use incense or something?"

"Have you ever seen incense cause a flame to permanently change color," Alex asked with a raised brow. "And the fact every God has their own color?"

Anna looked around, looking closely for the first time and seeing a wide range of colors, from a golden flame at the altar to Niorun to pure white at the duel braziers next to Odin's altar. "What causes it," Anna finally asked, her back to the altar of Skadi.

"A rune, blessed by the God to whom the altar belongs," Alex explained. "Whenever that deity appears at their altar, the rune activates, creating a flame to whatever color is associated to them."

"That's impossible," Anna breathed. She wanted to believe it, but surely that couldn't be true… could it?

"Close your eyes," Alex ordered. When Anna just looked at her skeptically, she sighed, "Trust me." Reluctantly, Anna did as she was told. "Now, think back to when you were a kid, back when you still believed magic was real, back before you believed it when adults told you something was impossible. When you've done that, open your eyes and look around."

Anna concentrated, and the first thing that came to mind was when she first met the dire wolf. She remembered feeling of happiness when Shadow had come up to her and rolled onto her back in a show of submission and trust. It seemed like anything was within her reach if she could gain the trust of this fearsome creature. When she felt almost weightless with that feeling of happiness, she opened her eyes. She happened to be looking at the altar to the God of Travelers. She saw a figure standing there and grew hopeful as she watched him turn slightly, revealing his profile. Disappointment crushed her chest as she recognized him.

"That's just Asal," Anna sighed sadly. "I knew that it couldn't be true." She turned to glare at her friend when Alex broke out into a loud laugh.

"Is that the best he could come up with, after centuries posing as a human? That's Beasal, God of the Traveler," Alex stated. Then almost as an afterthought muttered, "Fits that his flame is brown considering he's such a shithead."

Shocked, Anna took a closer look just as the bard turned to face the girls. He gave them an impish smile as he winked and then bowed slightly. As soon as he rose, he disappeared and the flame next to the altar went out.

"What just happened," Anna breathed, having difficulty believing what she had just seen.

"Next to Beasal's altar is Niorun's," Alex kept explaining as if Anna hadn't spoken. "You'd think she'd have gone with a shade of blue for her flame, but apparently yellow is her favorite color."

Anna looked over and recognized Belle from her dream the night before, but instead of the simple blue and white dress she had on an elegant golden yellow ball gown that matched the flame in the brazier behind her. Belle smiled softly, a mischievous gleam in her eye, before curtsying low. As soon as she rose, she also disappeared, the flame behind her disappearing as soon as she did.

"Next to her is the Goddess of the Forest," Alex continued, "who prefers to go by Pocahontas. Apparently it was given to her by the people across the great sea to the west. She liked it so much she prefers it over the names given to her by any other people."

The Goddess of the Forest was darker skinned then the others, had long black hair, and a beautiful dress that was made from animal hide and decorated with elaborate beading. The goddess seemed to regard Anna critically before reaching some silent decision. The Goddess inclined her head slightly before disappearing, the green flame behind her going out.

Alex pointed out all the deities that lined the walls, skipping over any that had been covered over. Each one seemed to look Anna over before bowing their head slightly and vanishing, extinguishing the flame behind them.

After she had finished, intentionally leaving out Odin and the God of Autumn, Anna asked in a small voice, "Why did they all bow their heads?"

"To support the Winter Goddess," Alex answered with a small smile. "It was no secret she was courting you in your dreams, and she felt a lot of push back from it. They called her a hypocrite for taking advantage of a young girl and they thought you too weak to carry on the role of a consort to a Goddess, especially one with as many responsibilities as her."

"She didn't take advantage of me," Anna insisted, suddenly angry. How dare they pass judgment on what her and Elsa shared!

"You don't need to convince me," her friend said placatingly, "I'm just telling you what others were saying to undermine her. It's kind of hard for that claim to be made, however, when you walk right up to her altar and confess your love. It also gave them an opportunity to inspect you."

"Inspect me?"

"It allowed them to take a closer look at your spirit to see if you could handle being the Winter Goddess' consort, should she choose to name you such. Bowing in front of you was their way of showing their support."

"What if they didn't approve," Anna asked.

"You'd have known," was Alex's only reply.

Anna turned to face the altar again, but could see no one, despite the flame next to the altar burning bright. "Why can't I see her?"

"She's hiding herself, as is Odin and the God of Autumn." Seeing Anna's confusion, Alex explained, "They can still hide themselves from our view, should they choose."

"So earlier, when they were all bowing…"

"They wanted you to see it," Alex finished. "Come on, I'll walk you out; those guys are getting antsy and I really want to get this meeting over with."

They made their way out, a comfortable silence engulfing the pair. Once they were halfway to the exit, Anna asked, "What happens now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Between me and Elsa, everything. I mean, how do I even know she was even happy I came here today?"

"I can't speak for the Goddess, but I promise you had she been displeased, you would have known," Alex replied with a smile. When they got to the entrance of the temple, Alex stopped and grabbed both of Anna's hands. "Relax, _Piuthar_, everything will end well, I promise_."_

"Will you be done in time for my birthday dinner tonight," Anna asked tentively.

"Do you really think I traveled all the way from the Highlands just to miss this dinner because of a stupid meeting," Alex laughed. "I'll be there, I promise."

* * *

Anna was pacing restlessly, more nervous than she could ever remember being. She'd gone to bed right after her birthday dinner and was able to fall asleep quickly. When she arrived in her dream forest, she saw no sign of anyone, either Goddess or dire wolf. Anna fought against the tears that threatened, but her sadness at spending another night without her love caused them to fall anyway.

"Don't cry, _Minn sváss_," she heard a familiar voice say from behind as strong arms wrapped her in loving embrace. Anna looked back to see Elsa smiling at her tenderly as she raised a hand to wipe away the tears that had formed and to lightly stroke her cheek. "I'm right here, and I promise to never leave."

"I've missed you so much," Anna sobbed out as she turned to bury her face in Elsa's neck.

"I missed you too," Elsa replied. She held Anna close as she whispered words of love softly in her ear.

Once she had calmed down enough, Anna raised her head and made eye contact with her love. "What happens now? I mean Alex was saying…"

Anna was interrupted when Elsa placed a finger over her lips. After leaning down and placing a soft, chaste kiss on her lips, she said, "Let's not talk about that right now. I promise we will, and there are things we need to discuss, but for now… We've spent far too much time apart, and I would like to show you just how much I missed you and exactly what you mean to me. Will you let me?"

Anna simply nodded as tears returned to her eyes, this time of happiness. Elsa pulled her close and dropped her mental shields as she projected to her love just how much she cherished the younger girl. Anna gasped at the strength of what the Goddess felt for her, and had to hold onto her love just to keep from feeling overwhelmed. Once it felt like the crest of emotion had past and Anna could think clearly again, she concentrated and showed Elsa what she felt for her. The Goddess moaned in happiness before pulling Anna impossibly closer and crashing their lips together in a mind shattering kiss.

Passion fueled the kiss until Anna broke it for much needed air. Gasping, she looked away from Elsa, refusing to make eye contact. Truth was, it wasn't just a lack of oxygen that made her pull away; she could feel Elsa's passion, and although she shared it Anna was scared to go further. She'd never been intimate before, and although she wouldn't dream of giving her virginity to anyone but the Goddess currently holding her, she was afraid of going too far too fast.

Elsa sensed her fear, and placed a hand on her cheek trying to get her to raise her eyes. "Anna, look at me," she said gently. The girl in her arms took a deep breath before raising her eyes and seeing a soft smile on Elsa's lips. "_Minn sváss_, you never have to be afraid around me, even if you think I won't like what you have to say. I had no intention of consummating our love tonight; I wish to save that for when we finally meet in person. I don't ever want you to question my feelings for you and I want to destroy any doubts you may have that this is just a dream. Now come," she said, her smile growing as she saw Anna starting to relax at her words, "the night is young and I've missed holding you."

Anna smiled as Elsa directed her to their favorite tree and sat them both down. She immediately fell into the Goddess' arms and spent the rest of the night lying peacefully in her love's embrace as they showed each other their love.

* * *

A/N: Minn sváss is Norse for My Beloved.

Sorry this took so long, I had to do a lot of editing. It turns out that I write scenes like that last one with Anna and Elsa better when I've had a few drinks (go figure), but don't do so well with descriptions, like the temple scene. The converse is true, and the original scene between Elsa and Anna was extremely awkward and stiff. The final draft of it was the result of one beer (okay, five), but I made the mistake of editing the temple scene in that state. Suffice it to say it took a bit to fix the mess I made of that lol.


	13. The Journey

A/N: This chapter takes place the morning after the last one ended.

* * *

Anna sat in front of the campfire still trying to wrap her head around everything that had happened. Her world had turned upside down so fast, she still had a hard time believing it all. Anna's mind drifted back to this morning when everything changed…

It had started just like any other: she'd gotten up, stretched, dressed, tamed her hair into two braids that was so routine by now she didn't even bother using a mirror, and then left her room in search of food. Anna was surprised to see her brother at the table, he had moved into a small shack he'd built closer to their fields about a month ago and it wasn't often he showed up for meals other than the occasional family dinner.

"Mother and Father left early this morning," Kristoff explained without looking up from shoveling food in his face. Anna had forgotten about the trip their parents had planned. Her father had to travel to a nearby village with his hounds as part of war games and their mother went with him to take the opportunity to visit her sister.

"So why are you here instead of playing kissy face with your new girlfriend," Anna teased. She had caught them making out the night before, and although she was happy for her friend, there was no way she was going to let the opportunity to tease her brother pass.

"Food first," he answered, as he took his last bite. Kristoff looked up to say something else before freezing mid bite, a little food falling out of his mouth.

"Something wrong," Anna asked nervously when he still didn't say anything.

"Your hair," was all he said before trailing off.

"What about it?"

"You... it, ah, it looks different," he tried to explain.

"I always wear it in braids," she replied confused. Just then Alex entered followed by a frazzled Sir Bryant.

"I don't understand why you're upset," Alex huffed, "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You hid from your escort for an hour," he replied angrily.

"That was the point," she said defensively. "I clearly stated we were playing 'hide and seek'!"

"May the gods grant me the patience to deal with you," he sighed before turning to greet Anna and Kristoff just to halt mid greeting and stare.

"It's gonna be one of those days," Alex sighed as saw what made Sir Bryant pause.

"What is everyone staring at," Anna finally snapped, getting unnerved by all the scrutiny.

"Your hair," Kristoff blurted as he pointed to the braid on her right. "There's a white streak in it."

"What," Anna asked as she pulled the hair in question into view. "I don't understand…"

"Alex, perhaps it would be best if you went to the temple and made arrangements for a bird to be sent to the North Mountain with a message so they may anticipate our arrival."

"And I'll see about them getting word to their parents," Alex replied with a sigh as she made her way to the exit.

"Word to our parents about what," Kristoff asked, looking between Alex and Sir Bryant.

"We need to get your sister to the North Mountain," the older knight replied.

"Why," he demanded.

"Simply put," Sir Bryant explained calmly, "the Goddess of Winter has claimed your sister for Her own. It is the responsibility of the Children of Winter to ensure her safe passage to the Goddess' side."

Several hours later Anna watched as carts and horses were loaded for the trip to the North Mountain. Kristoff walked up and stood next to her after getting Sven ready for the long trip. She wanted to say something to him, but had no idea where to start. Instead, she carefully slipped her hand in his hoping he wouldn't turn her away. When he gently squeezed her hand in response, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

They were interrupted when one of the soldiers walked up to them. After bowing respectfully to Anna, he turned to her brother and said, "Master Kristoff, the Commander has ordered anyone who rides with us and is able to carry a weapon."

"You can tell your Commander that's not gonna happen," Kristoff replied coolly.

"The order was clear, all are to be armed," he replied. "The concern is there has been an increase in bandit activity along the route and we wish to have enough blades to protect your sister should they decided to engage."

"You have plenty of soldiers; if you don't think you can handle a few unorganized cutthroats perhaps you should rethink your career choice." Anna saw the anger flash in the young man's eyes and tried to calm her brother down, but he just brushed off her attempts. "Now I don't care what Sir Bryant or whoever your commander is, he can-"

"Ceannard," the soldier interrupted as he snapped to attention then crossed his arms over his chest and bowed low.

"Is that some kind of threat," Kristoff asked as his eyes narrowed.

"No, it's Gaelic," said an angry voice behind them. "It means 'Commander'." Both Anna and Kristoff turned to see Alex standing there. Anna almost didn't recognize her, and quickly realized that this wasn't her friend who always had a playful smirk and mischief dancing in her eyes. This was a side of Alex she'd never seen.

She had on black riding leathers that had the symbol of the Winter Goddess emblazoned in silver on her chest piece. Her hair was back in a tight braid that rested over the black cloak she wore. Her eyes, which seemed to stand out in sharp contrast to the dark colors she wore, burned with anger and her voice was as hard as ice as she spoke, "These bandits are far from 'unorganized' and have taken down caravans with twice as many guards as what we have. Do you want to see your sister raped and murdered?"

"No-"

"Then you will carry this," Alex interrupted, shoving a sheathed sword at him. "This is convoy is under my command and you will follow every order, and treat the men who serve me with respect or I will have you removed, am I understood?"

"Yes," Kristoff muttered as he gripped the weapon, head lowered in embarrassment.

"Excellent," Alex said dismissively, body still ramrod straight in anger. She turned to the soldier who was still bowed and asked, "Alistair, what's our status?"

"Everything's ready," he answered, rising, "just waiting on your order."

"Good, inform Sir Bryant we depart in 30 minutes." Alister bowed again before taking off to deliver the message to Alex's second in command. Without turning to look at the siblings, she said, "We'll be setting a hard pace, I intend on reaching the base of the mountain by nightfall tomorrow."

"But a trip to the North Mountain is a two and a half day ride," Kristoff stated in shock before he could think better of it.

Alex merely shrugged and said, "As I said, we'll be setting a hard pace. Ensure you have everything you need before we set off."

'Hard pace' was an understatement. The only time the convoy stopped was to give the horses a rest and to have a quick lunch of flat bread, hard cheese, and jerky. Anna was an experienced rider, and even she was starting to get a little saddle sore. As dusk was settling, Alex sent scouts forward to find a suitable location to make camp for the night. They returned soon after finding a secluded field next to a quick moving stream they could use to water horses and refill canteens.

Anna was brought from her memories as Kristoff sat next to her sighing heavily, his sword still equipped. He had sought out Alistair and offered to take his watch as an apology. The soldier initially refused, but Kristoff was insistent, saying it was a matter of honor. Alistair finally relented and Sir Bryant approved the swap.

"We're making good time," Kristoff said conversationally. "If we keep this up, we should reach the mountain by tomorrow evening like the commander wanted."

Anna winced at how Kristoff referred to Alex. He was still angry about the dressing down she'd given him earlier and she was afraid that it would drive a permanent wedge between them. And after they'd finally gotten together…

Anna had sighed without realizing it, causing her brother to look up at her. "You know it's weird seeing you with that strip in your hair."

"Does it look bad?"

"What," he asked, thrown off by her question. "Uh… no…"

"You hesitated," Anna pointed out, feigning hurt.

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did," Alex said as she stepped up to the siblings, sitting on a log perpendicular to Kristoff. He immediately stiffened, and Anna had to fight to hold in another sigh at his reaction.

Anna looked her over, noticing something was different about Alex. She still had on her black leathers, having only removed her black riding gloves, and she was still armed with her sword. She was hunched slightly, resting her arms on her legs as she warmed herself by the fire. It took her a minute to realize this was her friend sitting across from her, not the rigid Commander.

"You should be sleeping, Anna," Alex said, exhaustion evident in her own voice. "Tomorrow is going to be another long day to reach the mountain, and it'll only get longer once we reach the temple."

"What's going to happen when we get there," she asked nervously.

Alex merely shrugged, an unconcerned look on her face. "Not entirely sure, but I promise nothing bad. Now you should really get some sleep."

"But…"

"Look," Alex interrupted finally turning away from the fire to meet Anna's eyes, "I'm shit at giving apologies in the best situations, and I'm even worse when there's an audience. Now this is me subtly asking you to leave so I can attempt to fumble my way through one."

Anna met her friend's eyes and buried under the stress and exhaustion she could see a hint of her usual kind demeanor in them. "Good night everyone," she said simply before rising and sending an encouraging smile Alex's way.

* * *

Kristoff sat silently as Alex seemed to gather her thoughts. He picked up a stick lying on the ground and started tossing it up and down in a nervous gesture. After a long moment she finally let out a small laugh and said, "I found our cave earlier, it's maybe a mile downstream from here."

"Our cave," Kristoff asked in confusion, briefly pausing his actions.

"You know, the one we both hid in before you protected me from the bandit?"

"That cave," he replied. Memories he'd tried to keep buried for years resurfaced. He'd never gotten over what he'd seen that day, or how he felt in taking the bandit's life regardless if he deserved it. He started tossing the stick again to distract himself. For some reason the repetitive nature of the action was soothing.

"I still remember the attack on the caravan," Alex said quietly eyes on the fire as her own nightmares resurfaced. "I watched as they cut down battle tested veterans as if they were green recruits, saw them pin that boy to the tree, take my mother and…"

"You don't have to finish," Kristoff interrupted as Alex's gave out.

"The point is," Alex continued, quickly clearing her throat, "the men who attacked the caravan were no simple bandits. They were members of a cult trying to force people to join them. The blitz attack started as soon as the caravan leader refused."

"We thought it was a simple bandit attack."

She shook her head and sighed. "They served the God of Summer and at the time were almost insignificant. However, thanks to the almost endless winter they have grown in strength and popularity among your people. And since we are Children of Winter transporting one chosen of the Winter Goddess to her temple in the North Mountain…"

"We're the perfect target," Kristoff finished with a tired sigh as the pieces started coming together. "It makes sense why you would want everyone armed."

"I know how difficult it is for you to carry a weapon," Alex stated. "I was heading to talk to you about it and explain everything when Sir Bryant needed my input on something. Alistair was trying to help and took it upon himself to inform you of my order, and by the time I got there… well…"

"I was making an ass of myself," he sighed. Unable to look at Alex he focused on the stick, again taking comfort in the repetitive motion.

"Not exactly how I was going to word it, but fitting," she said looking at him with a small smile. It fell a little as she said, "I couldn't look weak in front of my men, especially with how blatantly you were disregarding my order. I still have a lot to prove and I couldn't let that disrespect stand."

"I understand," Kristoff said, looking down.

"That doesn't make it right," Alex said with a frustrated growl getting his attention. He was surprised to see her so agitated. "The Gods above know just how sorry I am that I did it. I'm just being pulled in so many directions, from my family, to my duties to the Goddess, to my loyalty to you, and for the love of all that is holy can you stop throwing that damn stick," she said suddenly before reaching over and snatching it midair. She threw it almost viciously into the fire and forced herself to calm down.

"Sorry," Kristoff said, confused by her action. "I didn't know you hated sticks that much."

"It's not that," she tried to explain, her words rushing together much like his sister's whenever she got excited. "It's just that it was moving up and down forcing you to watch it as it taunts you... You know what, let's just say I have my quirks and leave it at that."

"Ok," he agreed, still confused.

"The point is," Alex sighed out, "I'm sorry, and I want to make sure we're good. You mean the world to me, and I'm terrified right now I completely ruined everything."

"You didn't ruin anything," he assured her with a smile. "I was angry this morning, but it was mostly directed at myself for behaving as I did. I was afraid I had let you down." Instead of replying, Alex reached over and gently took his hand. They both had relieved smiles knowing that their actions earlier in the day had not shattered their growing relationship.

"Can I ask you something?" Alex could tell by the nervous look on Kristoff's face this was not going to be an insignificant question.

"You can ask me anything," she replied, squeezing his hand, "although I reserve the right to not answer."

"Fair enough," he replied. "I was wondering why despite the fact Sir Bryant has far more experience leading troops you're in command. Is it because you're royalty?"

"That has nothing to do with it," Alex sighed. "It's complicated, but I'll see if I can explain it. You ever see the image behind the statue of Skadi at the temple? The one with the six pointed snowflake surrounded by symbols with a three-pointed knot in the center?"

"Yes."

"Each of those symbols represents a role that a Child of Winter can serve: soldier, healer, craftsman, laborer, teacher, and attendant. It is given to you the moment you join the order, given by the Goddess or her brother in some rare instances. The role that is chosen for you stays with you for life unless it is deemed it needs to be changed for a specific reason, like you can no longer serve in that role and another must be chosen. The symbol of the role that person serves appears inside the snowflake on the mark on their back."

"But you don't have any of those," Kristoff pointed out. Alex's eyebrows immediately shot up and she suddenly appeared suspicious. Realizing how that must have sounded, he quickly explained, "I saw it the night we first met. The shirt you wore was too big and slid down, showing the mark on your back."

She nodded in realization and continued to stare at the fire as memories of that night danced across her eyes.

"So what does that mark mean," Kristoff asked as much out of curiosity as to pull her from the dark thoughts

Alex stared at the fire for a long minute before answering, "It marks me as a direct representative of the Winter Goddess. There are only seven of us at any one time. Normally, it would be given to one who has served faithfully for many years, but I am a… special case."

"Why's that?"

"It's complicated," she said again. "It all comes back to my past and I'm not sure you would be able to accept it."

"Try me."

"I wouldn't even know where to begin…"

"You could start with your real name," he suggested.

Alex looked like she was debating whether she should answer. Coming to a decision, she opened her mouth to say something, when suddenly shouting from the front of the camp drew their attention. Both immediately got up and ran over to see what was going on.

* * *

A/N: I am so sorry for how long this chapter took. I had such a hard time actually writing a chapter I liked, that I eventually had to settle for one I didn't hate. I'm still not happy with how it came out, and I'm sorry it's not the best one I've written, I just couldn't sit on it any longer. The good news is the next chapter is mostly written, just needs to be edited and I'll be able to post that, hopefully within the next few days. Thank you everyone for your patience! I really appreciate it! I loved seeing all the favorites/follows I got, but it made me feel guilty because it took me so long to write this. Honestly, this chapter went through so many rewrites just be trashed and completely rewritten... So thank you for everyone who stuck with me. Don't think I don't know how awesome you all are!


	14. Goði

A/N: Out as quickly as promised! Also, 'goði' is Norse for 'chief/priest'. I thought it seemed fitting

* * *

Anna had just about fallen asleep when she heard yelling outside her tent. She moved as quickly as she could, getting dressed and throwing on her boots before heading out to see what was going on. She made it to the front of the camp to see a group of men circled around something. She started pushing her way through until those around her noticed who was pushing on them and immediately made a hole for her to walk through. It was a little disconcerting at first since she wasn't used to such treatment, but quickly adjusted and walked to the center of the group to see Alex, Kristoff and Sir Bryant. She could see Sir Bryant was kneeling and holding something, but her brother was in the way to get a good look at what it was.

"What's going on," Anna asked Alex, trying to make her voice sound stronger than she felt.

Noticing Anna for the first time, she quickly turned and blocked what little view of Sir Bryant she'd had and said, "There's been a change of plans."

"What's going on," Anna repeated. She knew her friend well enough to know something was seriously wrong. When she had left Kristoff and Alex at the campfire she had let her commander mask slip in an attempt to make peace with her brother, but now whatever Sir Bryant was holding had caused the mask to be firmly set back in place. Instead of answering her, Alex just looked down at her expressionless. Dread sinking heavier in her stomach, Anna demanded, "Why won't you tell me?"

"Leave it be, Anna," Kristoff responded, his voice hollowed and eyes trained on whatever was in Sir Bryant's arms.

"No," Anna said, suddenly angry. She was sick of everyone acting like she was some frail child! "Everyone keeps saying I'm Skadi's chosen and acting like I hold a position of power among your order. Is that true?"

"Yes," Alex answered reluctantly.

"So I order you to tell me what happened and what Sir Bryant is holding."

"You can't shield her forever, lass," she heard Sir Bryant say from behind Alex. His voice almost sounded defeated. "Like or not, she's entering this war."

"Very well," Alex said emotionlessly as she stepped aside revealing her second in command. Anna's eyes widened as soon as she saw a boy who looked no more than 6 in his arms. His eyes were closed and he had a large wound on his right side. Anna immediately fell to her knees next to Sir Bryant and she gently ran her hand over the boy's forehead.

"Don't worry, _G_oði, he still lives," Sir Bryant said when he saw her concern.

Anna startled slightly at the title, but quickly cleared her throat and asked, "What happened to him?"

"He slowly made his way towards camp from that direction," Sir Bryant replied, nodding his head towards the woods before continuing. "I happened to be here when he walked up and collapsed from exhaustion. I barely managed to catch him in time before he hit the ground. I had just called away for a medic when he started to speak."

"What did he say," Anna asked, forcing the words out her throat that had become almost too tight to speak. Something about the knight's demeanor told her she should be concerned.

"He told of the attack on his village not far from here. The attackers came out of nowhere; there had been no warning of attack. They were led by a giant bear with golden fur and butchered everyone. He tried to flee the carnage, but couldn't out run the bear. It attacked him, giving the wounds you see."

"How is he still alive," Anna was barely able to ask as two soldiers ran up with a field kit to tend to the boy's wounds.

"They spared him for the whole purpose of delivering a message."

Before he could finish, the boy woke up, coughing in pain at the salve that the medic was applying.

"Relax lad, that'll keep infection from spreading," the old knight said comfortingly.

"It burns," he gasped out, writhing in pain as he tried to move away.

"Aye, like a demon out of the pit of Hel," Sir Bryant agreed, "but without it that's exactly where you'll end up."

Anna could tell almost immediately when the burning started to lesson as the pain left the boy's eyes. The medic finished cleaning and wrapping the wound and moved away silently. Once the medic was gone, he started to look around, meeting Anna's eyes for the first time. She smiled kindly at him, but was taken aback when he started to cry out in terror.

"It's her! She's the reason everyone is dead!"

"Calm yourself boy," Sir Bryant ordered, tightening his arms around him.

"They're dead because of her," he sobbed out, thrashing about.

Alex quickly knelt between Anna and the boy, grabbing his face with both her hands, forcing him to look at her. "What did they tell you?"

"That they killed for her," he screamed out. His thrashing only seemed to intensify and Alex was becoming visibly frustrated.

"What were their exact words?"

"That they killed everyone because of girl with the white strip in her hair," he sobbed. "They kill because she has been chosen and won't stop until the world burns because of her. You have to stop her before they kill everyone!" They boy became hysterical, thrashing as he screamed.

"Enough," Alex roared before closing her eyes and concentrating. Anna watched as the boy seemed to relax almost against his will until he was again unconscious.

"Didn't know you could do that to anything other than animals," Sir Bryant grunted.

"Neither did I," Alex said drily as she rose. Anna watched her take a calming breath before turning to Kristoff. "You know this area well?"

"Well enough," he replied.

"Good," she said simply before turning and bellowing, "Alistair!"

"Moving," came a voice somewhere in the back. As soon as he presented himself, Alex ordered, "Saddle your horse and grab whatever weapons you can carry without weighing you down. You will escort Anna and Kristoff to the temple."

"Of course, Ceannard," he answered before taking off.

Alex immediately turned back to Kristoff and said, "Ready Sven and a horse for Anna. As soon as you're ready head to the temple. Take nothing with you except weapons to defend yourself. I want you taking the fast route possible while still staying hidden. I trust your father taught you how to mask your sent?"

"He did," Kristoff confirmed. "I used to train with his stock and can outsmart any hound they may have."

"You'll have to do better than that," Alex warned. "They have something better than a hound."

"What's that?"

"I'll tell you when I meet you at the temple," Alex evaded, before sighing. "I'll tell you everything, I promise. There's a lot you need to know, but I don't have the time right now."

"I'll hold you to it," Kristoff said with a small smile as he took off.

Anna hadn't moved from her place on the ground, still staring at the boy who had told her of the blood on her hands. It wasn't until Alex forcibly grabbed her and pulled her up that she looked away.

"Listen to me," Alex said firmly, gripping her shoulders almost painfully, "what happened tonight is not your fault."

"You heard him," Anna said as her vision blurred, "men killed his whole village because of me."

"No," she said firmly, "they killed because they are monsters; you are just a convenient excuse."

"They wouldn't have done this if I had never left home…"

"You think these are the first lives they have taken," Alex demanded. "He described their banner before he passed out the first time; it's the banner to a cult worshipping the God of Summer. They have killed hundreds in the name of their god, including my mother. This is not your fault."

Tears streamed down Anna's face as she tried taking in Alex's words. "Why would they do this?"

"I wish I had an answer," Alex said sadly, dropping her arms. "You should prepare yourself, you have a long ride a head of you."

"Wait, what are you going to be doing," Anna asked, suddenly afraid for her friend.

"We will be forming into groups and heading out in different directions. Hopefully with all the tracks to follow we can slow them down. At the very least it will spread them out enough should some of them find you, it will give Kristoff and Alistair a fighting chance."

Just then both men came up, each on their mounts and Kristoff leading one for Anna. Each animal had a small pack on it with what Anna assumed was a few emergency supplies. She climbed into her horse's saddle and looked around, noticing some men were also mounting up while others were busily working around the camp.

"What are they doing," Anna asked.

"Setting up a decoy," Sir Bryant answered. "They'll be expecting us to send you off and dig in our defenses. So I'm sending out two other groups leaving the same time as you. We'll be setting up camp to make it look like we're still here before taking off as well."

"It might only buy you a few minutes," Alex said, "but that could make all the difference."

Anna took another look around, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on her. Thinking of what brought them to this point she turned to Sir Bryant and said, "Give me the boy."

"Anna," Alex questioned.

"He needs to see a healer and they'll have one at the temple. I'm the best bet he has to get there safely."

"You know how he'll react if he wakes and sees you," Alex warned.

"I can't let him die," Anna said softly.

Alex nodded quietly before signaling to Sir Bryant to pass the boy to Anna. The knight helped adjust him so that she would be able to hold both the boy and the reins.

"Ride swift," Alex told her before turning to Kristoff.

"I guess I'll see you at the temple," he said with a false confidence even Anna could see through.

Alex just nodded, before for giving a small sigh and said, "Bridget."

"What," he asked, clearly confused.

"You asked me for my real name," Alex explained. "It's Bridget Wolffsdotter, although I always thought Alex fit better. I'll see you at the temple."

Kristoff gave a smile in response as she turned to Alistair. "Keep them safe."

"I swear on my life they will be."

"Hopefully it doesn't come to that," Alex sighed before walking away, never looking back at the group.

"I guess that's our signal to head out," Kristoff said. "Come on, let's get moving before the moon is at its brightest. I'd prefer not to make myself an easy target." Spurring Sven on, he wheeled him towards the hidden path at the back of the camp. Summoning her courage, she momentarily tightened her arms around the child she carried before following her brother, Alistair staying close behind.

Risking a glance back she saw men grabbing her items she left behind and throwing them in the camp fire, along with Kristoff's and (she assumed) Alistar's. Suddenly, a horse blocked her view of the camp. She looked up to see Alistair giving her a sympathetic smile.

"It's best not to look at where you came from for too long, _Goði_," he said. "It can distract you from seeing what's coming."

Anna took a deep breath and nodded, stealing her resolve. Alex, Sir Bryant, her parents... none of them could save her. This time she was on her own, with only her brother and a young warrior to help her. "You're right, thank you Alistar." She turned and faced forward in her saddle.

After that, she never looked back.


	15. Night Ride

She searched the campsite thoroughly, sniffing every available source trying to pick up the scent. There was a large fire pit in the center of camp and could easily guess what it was used for. Bastards. She could find no trace of Skadi's chosen and growled in anger. Then men closest to her moved away in fear. It was a wise decision, but she contemplated ripping them apart to help sate her anger.

Just as she was about to strike a scent filled her nostrils. Her head whipped in the direction it came from, and she started tracking its source. It led her to a tent that still had a sleeping roll and a pair of black riding gloves, where the scent she was tracking was coming from. _Her_, the DunBroch bitch.

Snarling, she took off after her new target. Adelric and Hans be damned, she had a score to settle. Their mission would just have to wait…

* * *

Anna held the boy close to her as they rode through the night. They kept to the shadows as Kristoff guided them. He set a hard pace, but Anna had no complaints. She didn't know the area as well as her brother, but if they kept it up, she estimated they would reach the North Mountain shortly after sunrise. Anna was deep in thought when Alistair rode up next to her.

"Are you alright, _Goði_," he asked quietly.

"I don't know," Anna replied, "so much has happened so fast…"

"I know, it's a lot to take in, but you'll see, everything will work out."

"There's just so much I don't know that everyone expects me too," Anna said, starting to feel overwhelmed.

"Well ask me," Alistair offered, "perhaps I can help you."

"Why is everyone calling me '_Goði_'?"

"It's out of respect," he answered. "Even though Calle… I mean Skadi hasn't permanently claimed you as hers, we still honor you."

"What do you mean She hasn't officially claimed me?"

"The white streak is starting to fade," Alistair pointed out. "Unless Skadi makes it permanent, it will fade completely. It is to give you an opportunity to walk away, should you decide that is what you want. The decision cannot be made until we arrive at the temple. "

"Is that why we left so fast?"

"Part of it," Alistair sighed. "The other isn't something we really like to talk about, but I will for you since you would have no way of knowing on your own." He paused to gather his thoughts before he explained, "The priesthood is separate from the Children of Winter. Anyone can take the holy vows to become a priest, only one chosen of the Goddess or Her Brother can join our order. It is done that way so the priesthood may be a safe harbor or new start to any who may need it, but that also means it can be easy to infiltrate by those who's loyalty may not be to the Winter Goddess."

"You don't honestly believe…"

"The Commander sent off a bird to the temple before we left and let no one else knew we were leaving. No one else knew of your existence. And yet the boy's message was clear, they attacked because you had been chosen." Anna silently absorbed all this as Alistair continued, "It may not be the case and I would never be so bold as to make any sort of accusation. It could be that one of their spies saw us riding and was able to plan an attack. It is not something we talk about, but it is something to think about."

Anna said nothing, unable to fully comprehend everything he was saying.

"I apologize," Alistair said after a moment. "I should not have said anything, it wasn't my place and I have needlessly worried you. The priesthood is full of good men and women and I don't want you to feel as if you cannot trust them."

"It's fine," Anna assured him, "I would rather you tell me everything at the risk of my discomfort than try to hide something for me just to 'protect' me."

Alistair smiled and bowed slightly and said something to her in Gaelic. "'I live to serve'," he translated. "It's the traditional words we say when we're given orders that come from the Goddess."

"But I'm not a goddess," Anna pointed out.

"But you're Her chosen, and what's more is you command us."

"What are you talking about?"

"Seven are selected as her representatives to lead us, Princess Alex being one of them," he explained, "however, as her chosen consort, your voice supersedes theirs. In short, only the words coming from Skadi herself can counter what you say."

"Wait, what," Anna asked, jaw dropping.

"I know it's a shock," Alistair said with a sympathetic smile. "Figured you would want to be aware before we got to the temple."

"Thanks for that," Anna said. "So speaking of Alex, how was she able to calm him down," she asked nodding towards the boy in her arms.

"I think it has something to do with her being one of the seven, although I don't know for sure. I remember this one time in DunBroch, I was helping in the stable and something spooked all the horses. I was in the back trying to help secure the horses before they broke free and caused any damage when I saw her grab her horse and do something similar as what she did with the boy. At first Donor calmed, and shortly after all the horses in the stable calmed. I asked Sir Bryant later, and he told me it wasn't my place to question, so I dropped it."

"Just like that?"

"You must understand, I had recently joined the order and it really wasn't my place to question. Besides, it didn't seem to be unreasonable that Skadi had blessed her with that kind of abilities. Every member of our order has the ability to find a temple to the Winter Goddess, no matter where we are. The rune at her temple calls to us."

"So that explains how some of the men are going to find their way, but what about the other guards we were traveling with?"

"What are you talking about," Alistair asked, clearly confused.

"The ones back at camp that are creating a false trail for the attackers to follow, how will they find their way to the temple?"

"You didn't know? All of them were Children of Winter. Sir Bryant made up Princess Alex's personal guard like that intentionally. Being a member of the order isn't necessarily your only job. Most hold a separate position, and many members of the DunBroch royal guard in some way serve the Winter Goddess."

"I guess that makes sense," Anna replied as she grew quiet, trying to absorb everything he'd told her. They rode in silence after that, following Kristoff's lead as he navigated them through the forest.

Two hours before sunrise, the group stopped briefly to rest the horses. Anna had placed the boy down and was just refilling her canteen when she heard the shouting. She looked up to see about a dozen armed men on horseback quickly approaching them. It was obvious they had been riding all night as half of them carried torches.

"Anna get on your horse," Kristoff yelled as he reached for his weapon.

"Wait," Alistair ordered as he pulled out his blade. "If they've got this many men charging us, they most likely have men set up all around expecting that. They'd attack as soon as she was out of sight."

"So what do you purpose," her brother demanded angrily.

"How good are you with that sword?"

Kristoff merely glared and turned his attention on the approaching riders, his sword unsheathed. The men formed a half circle around them as their leader brought his horse right up next to Alistair.

"Good morning to you gentlemen, and lady," their leader said with overly false cheer. He held a torch high above his head and closely looked over the group below him. "How fortunate it is we found you!"

"Fortunate," Alistair repeated.

"Of course," he replied, "these woods are dangerous, a fact that a foreigner like you might not be aware of. There's been heavy bandit activity here of late."

"I have lived here all my life," Kristoff interrupted, "and these roads have always been safe. They are the path used by pilgrims to the Winter Goddess, only those foolish to risk Her wrath would dare attack."

"These are desperate times, boy," he replied, his smile faltaring slightly. "But fortunately for you, those of us who faithfully serve the God of Summer would gladly help you find safe passage."

"Never," Anna replied as she brought the boy she had carried safely back into her arms, "we've seen the results of your kindness."

"There, you have your answer," Alistair said to the man on horseback. "The lady says no."

"I'm afraid I'll have to insist," he replied, completely dropping his act as a sneer covered his face.

"I was afraid of that," Alistair sighed. He faced Kristoff and said, "I hope you're ready." Suddenly he slashed out with his sword, startling horse and rider. The horse reared up, throwing the man to the ground and sending the torch that he had been holding went flying in the air, landing on one of the horses behind him.

This caused a chain reaction, causing horses to throw men from their backs, giving Alistair and Kristoff a chance to take out stunned riders that had somehow managed to avoid getting trampled as the horses fled. They were able to kill all their attackers before the men even had a chance to attack.

Kristoff was in the process of congratulating Alistair when the sound of more yelling caught his attention. Coming towards them was easily over 20 riders, weapons drawn and ready to attack. Kristoff looked behind him just to see their mounts had taken off during the chaos of a few minutes ago, leaving them stranded as the attackers sped towards them.

"What are the odds of that trick working again," Kristoff asked.

Alistair merely turned to Kristoff and extended his hand. Shaking it, he said, "It's been an honor fighting with you." Turning to Anna, he said, "_Goði_, will you tell the Goddess I fought for Her until the end?"

"O-of course," Anna choked out. As she pulled the boy closer to herself, she realized something. Although she had no desire to die, neither was she afraid to. The only thing she felt was sadness that this young boy who had barely had a chance at life and suffered so much would go out like this. She wished there was something she could have done to help him. She watched Alistair and Kristoff ready themselves for the coming onslaught when suddenly an arrow went whizzing by and nailed the closest rider. Almost immediately, more arrows came raining down, stopping the attackers in their tracks.

The three looked in the direction the arrows had come from to see another group of riders, this one closer to 50, approach. Their standard bore the symbol of the Winter Goddess, and their leader had it emblazoned on his chest piece similar to Alex's. The leader of the group signaled for the men following him to halt before he and two others dismounted and approached the group on foot.

"Greetings, _bróðir, _Skadi surely blessed you by sending us along this path." the man said offering a hand to Alistair.

"Yes She did, _bràthair_," Alistair replied, taking his hand.

As soon as Anna was able to stand with Kristoff's help, the three men in front of her crossed their arms and bowed. Flustered, she looked past them just to see all the men on horseback mimicking the action as best they could.

"You honor us with your presence, _Goði_," the man who had greeted Alistair said as he rose. "My name is Geir, and I am your humble servant."

"Um… Thank you," Anna said tentatively, looking to Alistair for support.

"We live to serve," was Geir's reply. "We will escort you to the temple to ensure your safe passage."

"What about the others," Anna asked.

"When we heard reports of an attack along the route we expected you to travel we immediately sent out search parties. You are the first ones we have come across."

"That's to be expected," Alistair said quickly, seeing how upset Anna was getting. "We took the fastest route, remember? I'm sure the others won't be far behind."

"I swear to you,_ Goði_, we will not rest until we bring all of our brothers and sisters home."

"Thank you," Anna said again.

Geir signaled to three of his men who immediately dismounted and walked their horses to Anna, Kristoff, and Alistair. "Please take these mounts as you have lost yours."

"What will your men ride," Anna asked.

"They will be fine. It's not that far to the temple from here and they have not been riding all night."

"That is very generous," Anna replied. She wanted to refuse, but she was so tired that she was unable to.

"Please, _Goði_, allow me to take him," said one of the men who had dismounted with Geir, arms outstretched to take the child in her arms.

"He needs to see a healer right away," Anna said as she carefully passed off her burden. "He suffered serious wounds in the attack that destroyed his village."

"I shall take care to keep him safe," the man assured her. "We'll take him straight to the healer as soon as we arrive at the temple."

"Good," Anna said wearily as she climbed into the saddle. Shortly after they headed out, taking a slower pace so they didn't leave the men walking behind, making it difficult for Anna to stay awake. She was fighting to stay conscious, when she felt the reins gently taken from her. She looked over to protest just to see her brother smiling softly at her.

"Don't worry, I got you. Go ahead and sleep."

Unable to argue Anna did just that, her head leaning on her brother's shoulder.

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much for all the support. It makes my day every time I get an alert for a story follower and/or favorite (we're not going to even get into my reaction for a review lol). I love it when I get those alerts because it's proof that someone is enjoying my story, and honestly, entertaining people is one of the biggest reasons I write. I consider it a huge compliment when a writer of a story I love favorites mine, especially when they are clearly a better writer than me lol. So for those of you haven't, you all totally need to go read 'How I Met Your Mother' by Vanille Strawberry like right now. So yeah. Please review and let me know how I'm doing. And don't worry, the part so many of you have been waiting patiently (or in some cases impatiently lol) is coming soon!

FYI, bróðir and bràthair are Norse and Gaelic (respectively) for brother.


	16. Dróttinn

A/N: Ok, I am seriously sorry about how long this took me to get out. College has been keeping me busier than I expected and it has really caused me to fall behind on this. Plus side is you get two chapters, right? The only reason this chapter is so much longer than the next is I was originally going to make this 2 chapters, but didn't want to put off the next chapter any longer (seeing as it's what everyone's been waiting for since I stated this story). Although honestly most of you are probably going to skip this one and go straight to the next one since that's the one you've all been waiting for since I started this story... lol

_Dróttinn_: Norse for a lord of a large host

FYI, for the "pretentious" armor, imagine Sebastian Vael's armor. If you need an idea for what that looks like here's a link (replace the capital DOT with a . and remove spaces):dragonage DOT wikia DOT com/wiki/Sebastian_Vael

* * *

Anna was gently woken once the group reached the temple complex.

"Hey, Anna, time to get up," Kristoff said softly, "we're here."

Anna lifted her head off her brother's shoulder and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. It took her a while to focus, she was pretty tired, but when she did her jaw dropped. The temple complex was awe inspiring. She'd never seen it before and it seemed to rise out of the ground and the sun rising behind it gave it an ethereal glow.

Geir and his men dismounted before walking over and helping Anna down.

"Right this way, _Goði_," he said, bowing slightly.

"Where are we going?"

"To Skadi's personal chambers. It is my honor to escort you."

"What about Alistair and my brother?"

"My lieutenant will take them and the boy to the surgeon to see to their wounds."

"Go on," Kristoff said, giving her a tired smile, "we'll be fine."

Reluctantly, Anna turned to follow Geir as Alistair and her brother were taken in the opposite direction. Her escort led her into the temple proper and her breath caught for a second time as the giant statue of Skadi came into view. It was exactly like the one in her village, but the size of it took her by surprise. She couldn't stop the wonder that filled her eyes at the depiction of the Goddess. It was both extremely intimidating and breathtakingly beautiful. When she could finally tear her eyes away from the sculpture, she noticed Geir had been watching her with a small smile. Flushing red, she looked at the ground, mad at herself for looking like a simpleton in front of the veteran solider.

"None of that," he said gently. "I've seen that statue every day for the past 20 years and it still has that effect on me, as it does for every solider here. It's just nice to see someone not try and hide their awe for once."

She felt a little better as they entered the pathway with its icy arches leading to a giant building built in the same white marble as the temple. As they got closer, the giant double doors swung open revealing an older woman with gray hair held back in a tight bun.

"Greetings, _Goði_," she said kindly as she bowed. "I am Gerda, Head Attendant and servant of Skadi. It would be my honor to help you prepare for when you meet the Goddess."

"I will leave you in her capable hands," Geir said, bowing to Anna.

"Wait," Anna said as he started to leave. "Will you tell me when the other DunBroch soldiers arrive?"

"I will let you know as soon as we have accounted for everyone, _Goði_," he answered. "Do not worry, I have no intention of abandoning them to the cult of summer."

"Thank you," Anna said quietly as Geir bowed one last time before heading back into the sanctuary.

"Now then," Gerda said cheerfully, drawing Anna's attention back to older woman in front of her, "I have already drawn a bath for you. It's still nice and hot and should feel lovely after the ordeal you've endured. Just follow me, dear."

Anna followed the attendant into the complex, attempting to brace herself for whatever was to come.

* * *

The weary men followed the solider carrying the boy to a building just behind the temple that served as a hospital. Kristoff had been given a cloth as a temporary bandage for a cut he'd sustained on his left forearm during the battle. He swore silently to himself as he saw it had started to bleed again. He applied pressure to the wound just as he heard a familiar voice start shouting.

"For the love of all things holy can you pretend to be gentle?!"

They entered the room the yelling had come from to see Alex sitting on a bed, gripping the sheets with her left hand so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Her eyes were shut in pain as an older man examined her right side.

"Calm yourself, your highness," he replied gently as he continued to work. "You suffered a serious injury. Your arm is dislocated at the shoulder and I will have to force it back into place. Now it is my understanding that your family comes from a long line of proud, stoic warriors. I would appreciate it if you could summon some of that so I could work."

"Stoic," Alex laughed, "clearly you've never been to Dun- SON OF A BITCH," she yelled just as a loud pop was heard when the surgeon forced her arm back into place.

"Actually, my mother was a farmer," he replied, not looking up from her arm as he examining his work, "just like my father. All set, your Highness. Give it time to heal and you'll be fine."

"Thank you Kai," Alex answered through gritted teeth, out of breath from the pain as Kai put her arm in a sling to keep it in place. She looked over and saw the men standing in the entrance of the room. "Alistair, Kristoff, you made it, good. I trust Anna is here too?"

"Yes, _Ceannard_," Alistair replied. "Geir led her to the Goddess' chambers while we were escorted here."

"Good, that's all that matters" Alex replied, relaxing slightly at his words. She looked over at Kristoff and noticed his wound. "You're bleeding."

"We were attacked on our way here," he explained.

"You can tell her as I examine you," the doctor said as he guided Kristoff to a nearby bed next to Alex's.

Kristoff told her the whole story as Kai cleaned out his wound and wrapped his arm. He had just finished as Kai moved on, seeing to Alistair and the boy.

"You got lucky," Alex said once he had finished. "It's a bad sign that they are bold enough to attack the Pilgrim's Path."

Kristoff was about to say something when he noticed Alex start to tear up. "Hey, are you ok?"

"I-I thought you were dead."

"I'm fine, see I'm right here," he said gently, moving to sit next to her on the bed. "Why would you think I was dead?"

"Because I encountered Sven on my way here," she explained. "He's actually one of the only reasons I survived."

"What happened to you," he asked, a knot tightening in his stomach.

Alex was quiet for a bit before saying, "Kai, I'm going to take a walk. Don't worry," she added before the doctor could protest, "Kristoff is coming with me and will keep me from overdoing anything."

They left the building and walked silently on a path behind the temple before Kristoff asked, "Why did we leave?"

"Because I owe you a story," she answered cryptically, "and I don't want an audience for this." He kept quiet as Alex seemed to gather her thoughts. "How familiar are you with shape shifters?"

He was a little thrown by her question, and answered, "Not a lot, just that the God Vidar is one."

"What led the attack on the boy's village last night was another one," Alex answered. "I've encountered her before. Our paths first crossed in DunBroch just before I left with Aunt Merida. She spooked the horses in the stable and almost caused a stampede."

"What was she doing in DunBroch," he asked.

Alex went silent again before answering. "At first I thought she was just scouting the area for the Southern Gods, but now I'm not sure that's entirely the case."

"What do you mean?"

"I believe she is after me as well," Alex answered, "and whatever the driving force of her hate, it is more important than the Summer God's quest to get Anna."

"What would make you more important," Kirstoff asked as the forest broke into a small clearing. He could see multiple paths led here from the direction of the temple, and looking around he could see a small shrine. Alex headed toward it and he followed her as he waited for his answer.

"Did you know this is one of the few places outside of the Highlands that depict the God Vidar in human form," Alex replied instead.

Kristoff looked forward to see a life sized statue of a man dressed in what he recognized as traditional Highland clothing, kilt and all. If the statue was a true representation of the God's size, he was the same height as Kristoff and had short hair that stuck up from his head. In front of the statue was a small altar with a few offerings on. Next to the altar was a small brazier similar to others he'd seen next to other altars.

"I've never seen him as anything other than a wolf," Kristoff confessed, eyes still on the figure in front of him.

"There's another one just outside your village, it was where I was coming from the night I found you in the field."

"I didn't know there was one out there."

"Not many people do," she responded with a shrug. After a short pause, Alex sighed and said, "He's the reason I believe the shape shifter is after me."

"Why," Kristoff asked, genuinely confused.

"Because he's my father," Alex answered softly, staring at the statue to avoid looking at Kristoff.

"Your… he's your… what?" Her sudden and unexpected revelation was making it difficult to speak coherent sentences.

"He hasn't had anything to do with me since I was a year old, claiming that he was protecting me by abandoning my mother and me," Alex explained, ignoring Kristoff's stuttering. "But he's also the reason I'm one of the few who can stop her and protect Anna."

"I guess I can understand that, since you're the daughter of a god and all," Kristoff replied, still reeling from Alex's confession.

"That's not the whole reason," she sighed reluctantly.

"Then what is," Kristoff asked, bracing for whatever else she was going to tell him.

"Do you remember the first day we met?"

"It's hard to forget pulling a knife on you in that cave," he quipped, not sure where she was going with this.

Alex simply shook her head and said, "That wasn't the first time we met. The first time we met you gave me venison jerky."

"No, I gave you dried out bread and hard cheese, you gave me jerky…" Kristoff's voice trailed off as he remembered who he did give his venison jerky to. Eyes shooting up to the statue of Vidar, pieces started falling into place. "You're Shadow," he stated as blood started pounding in his ears.

Alex still refused to look at him, and he could see tears starting to form in her eyes. "When I turned four I started to notice changes: color blindness, better hearing, faster and stronger than other kids my age... I was five the first time I actually shape shifted. Mother went straight to a shrine dedicated to my father, but he refused to appear to her. She was left to figure out what to do on her own. Eventually I was able to control it, keep the wolf from coming out. I was too good at it, I suppose, because it failed me when I needed it most. I stood by helpless as cultists took my mother…" Her voice caught and she had to fight to get her emotions under control. Clearing her throat, she continued, "It wasn't until they had killed her I was able to change and kill the cultists. And then I ran and I didn't know what to do. I was lost and scared, and your sister saved me."

"Anna?"

"I had never had to forge for myself," Alex answered with a shrug. "I was hungry and scared and just when I didn't think I could go on any longer she appeared. She didn't have to try and help me, but she did. She gave me the will I needed to push on and try to survive. Then a couple weeks later we met again in the cave, although I knew you didn't recognize me."

Anger that he couldn't explain seized Kristoff. "Why didn't you tell me before now," he demanded.

"I've never told anyone," Alex replied with a shrug, "it seemed better that way. Less… complicated."

"Easier to just not admit to being half god?"

"Technically I'm only 1/8th," she answered, shrinking back at his anger as she looked at the ground. "My father's mother was human and his father was half human…"

"I don't care," he yelled. "If you trusted me, if I meant anything to you, you could have told me before now!"

"I'm sorry," she said simply, still shrinking in on herself. The last time he'd seen her look this small and frightened was in the cave that night. A part of him regretted his anger and tried to stop himself; but another part, the larger part, was furious at her. The angrier he got, the more the walls of the shrine seemed to close in.

"I need to get out of here," he said before storming off, following the trail Alex had led him down.

He had made it a quarter of the way down the path before a familiar voice shouted out, "You wanna slow down there for a minute big guy?"

Kristoff rolled his eyes since this was the last person he wanted to talk to. "Not now Asal." Figures the he would somehow show up when the last thing he wanted was company.

"Just stop for a minute," the bard said as he matched Kristoff stride.

"I said not now," Kristoff snapped angrily. He was about to unleash on the short man when suddenly he froze mid stride, unable to move.

"I insist," Asal said, an authority in his tone that normally wasn't present. He stepped in front of Kristoff and although he was still his normal height he somehow seemed larger than life.

"What's happening," Kristoff asked, panicking as he tried, and failed, to move.

"Alex wasn't the only one with a secret," he answered, one eyebrow raised. "Let me tell you mine: my real name is Beasal, as in the patron God of Travelers and Merchants." Kristoff's eyes widened as the God's words sunk in. "My brother and I set up shop in your village so we could keep an eye on your sister and protect her from things like that shape shifter who almost ripped Alex apart."

"What?"

"You didn't bother to ask what happened to her shoulder," Beasal stated, anger burning in his eyes. "The shape shifter chased Alex down and knocked her from her horse, dislocating her arm in the process and making her defenseless. She put up a good fight, getting in a few hits using her sword with her good arm, but would have lost if I hadn't been around. But lucky for her Skadi called the Northern Gods together and while most like to just transport from one place to another I prefer the walk. I happened upon them just as Sven had come running up and Alex had jumped on his back in one last attempt to get away. The shape shifter would have easily caught up and killed them both if I hadn't driven her off."

"You saved her," Kristoff asked.

"That's right, boy," Beasal replied angrily. "I've looked out for her when I wasn't keeping an eye your sister since her shit head of a father refused to. She's been through enough in her life that she doesn't need some boy with a bruised ego making it worse."

Kristoff was about to answer when he heard the crunch of leaves and twigs from someone walking up behind him. It was easy to figure out who it was.

"Leave him alone, Beasal," Alex said softly.

"As you wish," he answered with some regret as he released Kristoff.

"A priest just delivered a message, Skadi has sent word," she said, turning to Kristoff, "you are to be at the first part of the council she's called together along with Alistair, Geir, and myself."

"Me? Why?"

Alex shrugged. "Maybe because you are a witness to the attack on Her chosen or maybe because She's about become the divine equivalent of a sister in law; it's really not my place to question Her. If you'll both excuse me I need to get ready."

"Making you dress up for this, huh," Beasal asked with a smirk that turned into a laugh at Alex's eye roll.

"I hate that armor."

"It looks good on you," the bard offered.

"It's pretentious," Alex shot back as she walked away.

Once she was out of sight, Beasal turned back to Kristoff and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, bringing him eye level with the short God. "You're lucky she stopped me boy, you're also lucky Skadi is expecting you. So do yourself a favor and take advantage of this because this will be the only time I let you off this easy. I can shit on you in ways you can't even imagine, understand?"

Kristoff nodded, too terrified to actually speak.

"Good, now I suggest you go talk to one of the acolytes, they'll help you get cleaned up and ready to appear before Skadi," Beasal said as he released the frightened boy. He waited for Kristoff to scurry past him before he also headed to the temple.

* * *

Two hours later, a bath, a set of clean cloths, and a fresh hair cut later, Kristoff followed Alistair and Geir into the main sanctuary of the temple. He had been here once before with his father when he was a small boy. He still remembered the wonder he had felt then as the feeling returned at the sight of the massive dedication to the Goddess. However the front of the temple was slightly different than what he remembered. The altar to the Goddess was still there, as was the ten-foot braziers on each side of it. But to the left and right were smaller altars, each with a shorter brazier next to it.

Sensing Kristoff's confusion as well as his hesitance to speak, Alistair explained what they were for. "Each one is for the various Gods and Goddess who will be here today. Each brazier has the same enchanted stone that is found next to the altars in their respective temples. It enables them to transport here directly."

"What keeps them from showing up if they are no longer welcomed?"

"A simple cover and an enchantment from a priest," Alex answered, walking up to their group. Her black hair was again tamed in a tight braid that she must have had help with since her arm was in the sling. She had on shining white armor with gold trim. It was obviously designed for an archer over a swordsman due to the lack of pauldrons on her right shoulder as well as chain links instead of metal plate along her stomach. It would have been a weakness in a one on one sword melee, but allow the freedom of movement needed to use a longbow. In between the plates of armor and along the collar was a thick grey fur lined under armor. "It's what was done to in every temple to keep the Southern Gods from getting any sort of opening to invade. And before you ask, it is a complicated process to sanctify a new stone which is why the cultist have so far been unsuccessful setting it up."

Geir snickered when he saw Alex's armor. "Got you dressed up all nice and pretty, did they?"

"I hate this armor so much," she muttered. "I really want to have words with the guy who thought this was the ideal armor for the Seven."

"What's wrong with it," Alistair asked. "It looks good on you."

"It's way too formal for my tastes," Alex replied, tugging slightly at the collar, a sour look on her face. "Plus it's a little awkward have an image of the Goddess' face so close to my crotch."

"Have I mentioned how much I love your people," Geir said with a smirk. He was about to say something else when he noticed a tension between Alex and Kristoff. Looking to give them an opportunity to speak, the Norse commander turned to Alistair and said, "Come on boy, let's see how well you know the symbols of the other Gods."

"Oh this is going to end badly, I just know it," Alistair replied, walking away with Geir.

Once the other two had moved out of hearing distance, Kristoff quietly cleared his throat and said, "I am really sorry for how I behaved earlier. I don't know what came over me, something in me just snapped and I wish I could take it all back."

"It's alright," Alex sighed. She tried making eye contact with him, but his eyes were fixated on the ground. "It was a massive shock and I expected as much. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have acted different in your position."

"Why are you being so forgiving," Kristoff asked, eyes still downcast. "First I refuse to acknowledge my feelings for you, then I caused that scene back at the village, and then when you open up to me I throw it back in your face. You can do so much better than me, I'm just an asshole."

"True, but you're my asshole," Alex replied. Surprised by her words, Kristoff looked up and saw her giving him a tentative smile. "I got one last revelation for you and then I swear you'll know everything. One of the perks of being a demigod is the ability to see others true intentions. For instance, I can see Alistair's loyalty, not just to the Order, but to Anna and to you as well."

"Me?"

"You impressed him. When push came to shove you did not hesitate to do what needed to be done. He considers you a brother in arms, even if you are not a member of our Order, and would trust you to have his back in any fight."

"You can see all that," Kristoff asked.

"I can," she answered, "just as I could see your emotions back at the shrine. Your anger was not at me, but at your own insecurities. Yelling was just how it presented itself. I can see deep down, you would never intentionally hurt me."

"I swear I'll make that up to you, if you'll let me," he promised. He vowed to himself that Alex would never regret giving him this chance.

"I know," she answered, lacing her uninjured left hand in his right. He could tell by her smile that she understood what he was feeling. "And don't worry, Beasal still likes you, he can just be protective. He'll get over it as long as you don't give him a reason to come after you."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kristoff responded. A peaceful silence engulfed them, before he started laughing. Alex looked at him with a curious smile before he explained, "Now I get the stick thing."

She let out a surprise laugh and nervously looked at the ground as her face exploded in a blush. She took her hand out of his to nervously rub the back of her neck. "Yeah sticks are a thing with me. And don't even get me started on balls or squirrels."

He laughed again before sobering and asking, "Is that also how you were able to knock the boy unconscious?"

"Yeah, it's not something I do very often. Normally I can just use it to calm startled animals or let feral ones know I am not a threat. It's the first time I've tried anything like that on a person," she answered as Geir and Alistair made their way back to them.

"Looks like this is about to get started," Geir said with a sigh before turning to Kristoff. "Listen up boy, there isn't a whole lot of time to teach you proper decorum, so just make sure you imitate Alistair and myself. Due to her Highness's unique role she doesn't get to her knees like we have to, so if you want to avoid pissing off the pantheon, just follow what we do."

"Alright," Kristoff answered, suddenly nervous. Quietly whispering to Alex, "You ever done anything like this before?"

"I've been summoned before Skadi, but never with any other Gods in attendance," she answered, glancing nervously at the altar on the immediate right of the Winter Goddess'. "You should take your place next to Alistair."

"You'll do fine, just do what we do," Alistair said confidently as Kristoff moved next to him. The three men were standing directly behind Alex.

"Whose altar is that," Kristoff asked, pointing to the one next to Skadi's.

"That belongs to Vidar, the brother to the Goddess," Alistair answered quickly. Understanding Alex's change in demeanor, Kristoff wanted to reach out to her, but knew it would be unwelcomed right now. He hoped everything turned out alright and vowed to be there for her later if it didn't.

An icy gust suddenly filled the hall, and Kristoff mimicked Alistair and Geir as they sank to their knees and bowed their heads while Alex bowed at the waist. It was obvious the motion was second nature for her, and acting on muscle memory she tried to cross her arms and bring them to her chest as she bowed. She grunted quietly in pain before moving just her left arm up.

One by one the gods appeared next to their respective altars, until finally Skadi herself entered. Kristoff had to focus on keeping his head bowed respectfully and not stare at the powerful Goddess. Clearly, the images engraved in her honor did not do her any justice. Skadi was taller than he imagined, at least a foot taller himself and he towered over most people he met. She had on a pale blue dress that if he were to guess was made of ice with a cape that appeared to be made from snow, and her hair was in a regal bun.

The Winter Goddess dominated the attention in the room with her very presence and looked out to those kneeling before her altar. Her brows furrowed in worry when she saw Alex's arm in a sling, but instead turned and greeted the other deities.

After she had finished with them, Skadi turned to address the humans she had summoned. "Rise, all of you," she said as she motioned with her hands and the three men stood up. Turning her attention to Alex, she question, "_Dróttinn_, you are here earlier than I anticipated. I have heard the cries of my servants as they fell in battle, and you yourself are injured. What has happened?"

"We were ambushed, my Lord," Alex answered bowing her head slightly before raising it again. "We left by mid-morning yesterday hoping to move fast enough to not draw the attention of the Summer cultists until we were closer. Unfortunately, we discovered we were unsuccessful when we stopped for the night. A young boy wandered to our camp with a message from them: surrender the _Goði_ or they would kill us and take her anyway."

The Goddess' jaw tightened as she listened to Alex's story, fury evident as the temperature in the room dropped significantly. "Clearly you defied their message," she said after a tense moment.

"Yes, my Lord. I ordered men paired off and sent in different directions. Alistair and Kristoff were chosen to escort the _Goði_ on the quickest route here while a few of us stayed behind to destroy their scent before taking off ourselves. Sir Bryant was one of the last to hold back. I have not heard of his fate…"

Kristoff's chest constricted at the news. Despite the bickering, it was obvious the affection shared between the old knight and young royal. He knew she had to be worried.

It was clear the Goddess knew that as well, and said with a gentle tone, "He is not one of the ones who has called out to me, but many others have."

Alex looked at the ground and Kristoff could see the pain in her eyes. The weight of leadership was never higher than when men were sent to die on your orders. Clearing her throat, she looked up and said, "If it had not been for Alistair's quick thinking, the _Goði_ may have been one of the ones calling out to you now."

"Is that so," Skadi asked. "Alistair, step forward."

"Goddess," he said as he bowed low once he had stepped next to Alex.

"Tell me what happened," she said kindly, seeming to sense the nerves he tried to hide.

"I did nothing more than what I was trained to do."

"Now is not the time for humility," Alex said looking at him with a small smile. Turning back to Skadi, she explained, "Thinking quickly, he was able to de-horse a dozen riders, allowing them to be neutralized without any significant injuries. He was also prepared to stand against the twenty riders that charged after them unknowing Commander Geir was nearby to help."

"I did what any would do," Alistair replied.

"You have served me faithfully and protected my Chosen," Skadi corrected, smiling gently at the young man. "I shall see to it that you are rewarded."

"You honor me," Alistair said as he bowed low before returning to his place between Geir and Kristoff.

Turning her attention back to Alex, the Goddess inquired, "You have not finished your tale, _Dróttinn_. What happened to you? And why did you feel the need to destroy anything bearing their scent?"

Alex took a deep breath to steal herself before answering. "The shape shifter I encountered in DunBroch is here. The boy told of how she led an attack that killed everyone in his village and then she chased me down. I was lucky my horse threw me, it was right as she slashing at my arm. Had I remained on my horse it is very likely she would have taken my arm instead of it merely dislocating it."

"How did you survive?"

"I was fortunate that I had chosen the path Lord Beasal was traveling. He showed me great mercy and drove off the shape shifter before she could finish me."

Skadi turned to the Lord of Travelers, who stood next to the shape shifter Vidar and said, "I owe you a debt."

"I live to serve," he replied with a wink and a smirk.

The Winter Goddess seemed to fight the urge to roll her eyes before turning back to Alex. "What is it, _Dróttinn_? I can see there is something bothering you."

Alex seemed to be struggling to choose her words as she said, "It's just that, I don't believe your Chosen was the only target. It's almost as if the other shape shifter has a personal vendetta against me."

"What makes you say that?"

"She cornered me in DunBroch, she chased after me in the woods when if she had looked could have found the _Goði's_ scent, and the village she destroyed… it was the one I grew up in before Mother and I fled." Kristoff's eyes widened in shock, he had no idea her old home was the target. It made him feel even guiltier for his earlier outburst when she was clearly hurting from that loss.

Skadi seemed to think on her words before saying, "I cannot argue that you make a strong case... Tell me, how do you wish to handle it?"

"As soon as I am cleared by the surgeon, I wish for permission to seek out the shape shifter and kill her. As much for my own safety as _Goði's_," Alex added almost as an afterthought.

"You wish to go off in search of one bear," Beasal asked with a smirk. "Do you realize how difficult that might be?"

"Somehow I think even here a golden fur, green eyed bear would stand out," Alex replied drily. Kristoff watched Beasal smirk in response, and at the same time Vidar seemed to tense.

Turning back to the Winter Goddess, Alex pleaded, "Please, my Lord, give me your permission to hunt her down before strikes again."

"No!"

Every eye turned to the Goddess' brother at his outburst.

"Vidar," Skadi asked, confused.

"You cannot give your blessing," he said emphatically.

"And why is that," she demanded. Clearly she did not appreciate the other god telling her what she could and could not do.

"That is my daughter! She deserves better than to be hunted down like that!"

Kristoff couldn't believe what he was hearing and risked a glance at Alex. Her eyes were locked on the ground and she looked as if she had been punched in the gut.

"What are you talking about," Skadi demanded.

"The shape shifter is Aloisa," Vidar explained. "She got her hair and eyes from her mother's side and her shape shifting abilities from me."

"Vidar," Skadi sighed, clearly frustrated with her brother. She seemed torn as how to proceed.

"You cannot order my daughter to die like that," Vidar pleaded.

"Your daughter," Alex growled, before looking up, a fire in her eyes. The God seemed to have forgotten Alex's presence when he had first started speaking and now his head was lowered slightly in shame. "Is that what it takes to be claimed by you, burning villages, murdering innocents… Forget everything she's done to me since clearly that means nothing to you, she is going after the Winter Goddess' Chosen! Perhaps you did me a service publically disowning me, Father," she said with a sneer.

"There is more here than you know girl."

"ENOUGH," Skadi interrupted before Alex could respond. "That will be enough from both of you. _Dróttinn_, gentlemen, you will take your leave. Kristoff, I will find you later for there is much I wish to discuss with you."

"O-of course," he replied bowing low.

Once the four had left Elsa took a moment to collect herself.

"Elsa, please," Vidar began to plead, but Elsa interrupted him with a gesture of her hand. She was furious, more so than she could ever remember being in her entire existence. Her anger coursed through her: at the cultists for attacking innocent villagers as well as her beloved; at Vidar for his mutiny and for driving the wedge further between himself and Alex; at her niece for lashing out at her father, however deserved, in such a public forum; at herself knowing she would have to punish Alex for her outburst, however deserved it might have been.

"If you ever undermine me again, our shared blood be damned, I will cast you out and send you into a hell of your own making," Elsa threatened through clenched teeth. She took a moment to calm herself before turning to face him.

"You have until the new moon to convince the bastard you conceived with that harlot to abandon the South's cause. Should she take any aggressive actions towards my people I will give Alex my leave to hunt her. If she goes after Anna again I will strike her down myself. Now go and try and save the only daughter you seem to put any effort into protecting," Elsa dismissed, pushing past him and turning her back on him.

"Elsa…"

"I told you to leave," she lashed out angrily, keeping her back to him. She heard him inhale a pained breath before leaving.

Once he was gone, Belle gave her a sympathetic smile and said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of him."

"What can you do?"

"Even Gods dream," Belle answered cryptically.

With a sigh Elsa turned to the other Gods to get the meeting over with. Anna was finally here and there was no way she was going to take any longer than she had to before coming face to face with the girl who had stolen her heart.


	17. Elsa's Refuge

Anna had never been spoiled like this, not even on her trips to DunBroch. Gerda indeed had a hot bath ready for her and insisted she assist Anna in undressing. Anna had never been one for modesty, but was still slightly disconcerted at the thought of having someone else undress her. She tried insisting she was fully capable, but Gerda would hear none of it.

"I have a daughter and two boys of my own," the Head Assistant answered with a smile. "I promise you have nothing I haven't seen before. Now stop fussing and let me work."

The hot water felt heavenly on her tired muscles. She was sore in places she never even knew could get sore and the warm water was exactly what she needed to relax them. Anna sighed contentedly as she closed her eyes and leaned her head on the back of the tub.

"You go ahead and relax child," Gerda said kindly as she started to wash her new mistress' hair. "I will take care of you."

Too tired to argue, Anna merely mumbled her thanks before sinking further into the tub. She relaxed thoroughly in the heat, refusing to pass out and miss the luxurious feel of the water on her sore muscles. She could have stayed there forever if it wasn't for Gerda gently prodding her and helping her dry off and get dressed into something clean.

Half-asleep, Anna followed the Head Attendant into one of the many sitting rooms that lined the Great Hall she had walked through earlier. The room was spacious and its white granite walls were covered in tapestries and fur pelts. On one end of the room sat a grand fireplace that clearly hadn't seen much use with giant plush couch directly across from it.

"How are you feeling child," Gerda asked as Anna settled on the couch.

"Tired," Anna yawned.

"Well, after the ordeal you have been through I would expect no less," Gerda replied as she moved to the fireplace.

"What are you doing?"

"You need to stay warm," the older woman explained as she started a fire, "with everything you've been through you're prone to get sick."

"Skadi won't be upset for lighting a fire? I mean, she's the Goddess of Winter and all…"

"I think she would be more upset if I let you freeze and catch cold, _Goði_," she replied as the fire roared to life. Gerda moved away so as not to block the heat from reaching the younger girl. Turning she noticed her new charge seemed distantly staring at the fire. "Is there something wrong?"

"I'm not sure I'll ever get used to people looking up to me like that," Anna answered quietly. "I mean, why do I deserve that? I'm just some village girl."

"May I speak freely," Gerda asked. When Anna simply nodded, she moved to sit next to the young girl and said, "There is a fine line between feeling humility and insignificance. Be wary you never cross into the latter. It is all well and good to remember where you come from, but do not think you mean nothing."

"How do you know," Anna asked, looking at the older woman. She could see the young girl's eyes pleading for an answer. "What have I ever done to deserve this?"

"Did I hear right that you befriended a dire wolf when you were younger?"

"Shadow," Anna answered, a soft smile appeared on her face at the memory of the wolf.

"They happen to be excellent judges of character, or so I've been told," Gerda said with a gentle smile. "You also saved that boy's life when you didn't have to."

"Alex wouldn't have let him die," Anna said dismissively.

"Your friend might not have," Gerda replied, "but the _Dróttinn_ would have done whatever was necessary to complete her mission. That boy is alive because of you."

"_Dróttinn_?"

"The official title belonging to each of the Seven," Gerda explained. "Your friend Alex may not be one for bloodshed, but she would not have let that boy's life affect the mission she had to complete. Finally, and most importantly, the Goddess sees something in you. She never would have chosen you if you weren't special. And to question Her decision would be blasphemy. You don't want to be guilty of that crime, do you," Gerda asked with a small smile.

Anna smiled weakly before tears started escaping. She turned her head to hide them, but Gerda stopped her. "None of that, you've been through much these past few days. Just let it out child." The attendant put a soothing hand on Anna's back and rubbed gently until she was taken by surprise as Anna flung her arms around the old woman and started sobbing. "Just let it out, I'll be right here," she said before humming a calming tune.

Emotionally and physically drained, Anna passed out on her lap.

* * *

Sometime later Anna gently woke up to the feeling of fingers running through her hair and soft humming. She tried to place the tune Gerda was humming when something felt different. She couldn't place it; she just knew something wasn't the same as when she went to sleep. Trying to figure it out, she noticed that Gerda felt colder than before…

Realization hit Anna like a lightning bolt and she shot up, coming face to face with the Goddess of Winter.

"Hello, Anna," the Goddess said with a smile, her ice blue eyes dancing with mirth.

"You're real," Anna whispered, "this is all real." She felt stupid for saying such, but at the same time, she couldn't help the relief she felt at knowing this wasn't all just a dream.

"I told you I was a real as you believed me to be," Elsa said with a gentle smile as she placed her hand on Anna's cheek.

Anna closed her eyes and sighed as she nuzzled the palm. "I know it's crazy all things considered, but a part of me still thought maybe this wasn't real, that you were just a dream…"

"This is not a dream, and I am really here," the Goddess said as she brought up her other hand to stroke Anna's hair. Anna couldn't stop the contented noise that escaped at the action, causing the other woman to smile. This went on for a few minutes before the Goddess isolated the strip of hair with the fading white streak. "You have a decision to make Anna, and I need you to think about it, because you have to be sure this is what you want. There is no going back from it."

Anna knew this was coming thanks to Alistair's warning and she'd been thinking about her answer ever since. She drew a heavy breath before making eye contact with the Goddess. "I'm not sure about much, but there is one thing I know without a shadow of doubt: I cannot live without you, and I'm yours for as long as you'll have me… Elsa," Anna declared, her voice wavering and the hand she slowly brought up to the Goddess' cheek shaking with nerves. She hoped she had not overstepped her bounds by using the Goddess' name. Her fears were dashed when she was pulled into a passionate kiss that stole her breath.

After an endless moment they parted, both of them breathless and panting. Elsa brought her forehead to rest against Anna's before meeting her eyes and smiling. "You have no idea how happy you've made me."

"I think I have some idea," Anna replied, a large smile on her face.

"Come with me," Elsa said, clasping both of Anna's hands and pulling her up. "There's something I want to show you."

Anna followed Elsa, giggling uncontrollably as they ran to the door at the end of the Great Hall. Anna remembered Gerda saying that only the Goddess could enter through the door.

"It's enchanted," Elsa explained, sensing Anna's thoughts. "The door will only allow those who have my permission to pass, which clearly extends to you."

Anna blushed and looked down, unsure why she was suddenly bashful, as Elsa opened the door. It led directly to a flight of stairs, which Elsa pulled her up as she ran up them. Anna had to admit she was extremely curious what could be behind the door ever since Gerda mentioned it. Holding her breath Anna rushed up just to find a completely empty room.

"This is it," Anna asked, disappointed and confused. What was the point of keeping people out of an empty room?

"There is always more than what meets the eye, _Minn sváss_," Elsa said with a smile as she directed Anna's attention the wall opposite of them. As Anna looked closer, she realized a section of it wasn't white marble, but instead hard packed snow. She watched in wonder as Elsa manipulated it, causing it to open up. Once it had, it revealed not only the face of the North Mountain, but also a small cave. "Come with me," Elsa said as she held out her hand. Happily taking it, Anna followed her into the cave.

Torches lined the walls and lit as the pair walked by only to extinguish as the moved away. "Are those enchanted like the flames at your altars," Anna asked.

Elsa nodded and explained, "My priests brought them from my Southern temples, and I needed to find use for them…"

"So you're showing off," Anna replied with a smile, which only grew as she noticed a touch of pink grow on Elsa's cheeks.

"Maybe a little," the Goddess confessed, her cheeks becoming a little pinker. They walked the rest of the way in a companionable silence until at last the cave opened into a clearing. Anna's jaw dropped in wonder at the sight before her. A giant castle, made entirely of ice dominated the clearing. It was at least three stories with snowflakes subtly decorating various points along the wall. Even on the rare trip into Arendel Anna had never seen such unique architecture; it almost seemed to defy gravity the way the various ice beams seemed to hold everything up, and the result was awe-inspiring.

"This is my personal haven," Elsa said, interrupting Anna's thoughts. "I come here when I need to get away from everything. This mountain has always been a place of solace for me."

"This is amazing," Anna exclaimed, bringing a smile to Elsa's face. "Has anyone else ever been here?"

"Vidar comes here once a year," she responded, voice suddenly tight. Curious, Anna looked at her, just to see Elsa's eyes trained on something to the left of her ice castle.

Anna looked over to see a giant translucent dome of what she assumed was ice. Inside it she could clearly see two ice sculptures, a tall man clasping the hands of a smaller woman that looked up to him. The sculptures were on top of two mounds.

Anna gasped in realization. "Those are your parents?"

Elsa simply nodded before saying, "It didn't feel right to move them, and they loved this mountain as much as I do. Vidar said when my mother first married my father it was more out of a need for protection than actual love."

"Why would he say that," Anna demanded. She could never imagine her brother ever saying anything like that to her.

"It was when we were very young, and he was still hurting from losing his father," Elsa explained. "He eventually apologized and told me no matter why they married no one could deny how much they loved each other. Don't be mistaken, he is a good man, or tries to be. He's been handed a difficult life and always found a way to make it even more so," she sighed.

Just then a cheery voice shouted out a greeting. "Elsa! You're back!" Anna looked over just to see a disproportioned snowman quickly moving towards them. "And you brought company! I love meeting new people!"

Before Anna could respond the snowman had pressed himself to her, his twig arms wrapping around her in a tight hug. He was short, head barely coming up to her waist and his arms were just above her knees.

"There's a snowman hugging me, what should I do," Anna asked helplessly.

Elsa brought a hand up to cover the snicker that tried to escape and offered, "Hug him back?"

"Hi there little guy," Anna said as she gingerly patted his back.

He finally broke away and looked up at Anna. "Hi I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!"

"Olaf," Anna squeaked out in surprise. Recovering, she said, "Hi Olaf I'm Anna."

"You're Anna! That means you're my other mommy! Yay you're here!" Excited, the little snowman again threw himself onto Anna.

"'Other mommy'," Anna asked with raised eyebrows.

A blush covered Elsa's face as she said, "I told you it doesn't work like that, Olaf."

"But you said…"

"I got a job for you," Elsa quickly interrupted. "There was boy who was brought in earlier who recently lost his family. Do you think you can go cheer him up?"

"Can I take Marshmallow with me? He's getting a little grumpy and I think he needs a change of scenery."

"Just don't let him near the hospital; I don't want him to scare the boy."

"Okey dokey," he replied cheerfully. "Hey Elsa, how come you're so much shorter than normal?"

"Run along Olaf," she evaded. Olaf merely shrugged and waddled away in search of his friend.

An awkward silence descended over the pair before Anna broke it. "I'm not sure if I want to ask about the mommy thing or the height thing first."

"My father was an ice giant and I inherited his height," Elsa explained. "As a result I tower over almost everyone I meet. Most find it extremely intimidating."

"I don't want you to change for me," Anna said, suddenly feeling guilty.

"And I don't want to make you feel inferior," Elsa countered, taking both of Anna's hands in her own. "I don't want an unequal relationship where you are subservient to me. I have that already with every mortal I meet. I want something more than that. I want what my parents had," she trailed off, her eyes focusing on their final resting place.

Anna bit her lip as she studied the woman in front of her. Finally she said, almost sheepishly, "You know, whenever I fantasized about you, I always imagine you to be taller than me." Elsa's eyes snapped to hers and Anna had to resist the urge to look down. She felt her face heating up in a blush as Elsa scrutinized her, a tiny smirk dancing on her lips.

"You fantasize about me," she asked, her smile only growing at Anna's nervous reaction.

"Well, yeah… Didn't you fantasize about me," Anna asked, suddenly too embarrassed to maintain eye contact any longer.

She felt Elsa release one of her hands and place it on her left cheek, where she gently directed Anna's gaze back to her own. "All the time," she whispered softly before bringing their lips together in a tender kiss, causing Anna's eyes to close.

She opened them after Elsa pulled away and quickly realized Elsa was at her true height. Anna had always been tall for a girl and even stood taller than some of the boys her age making her an easy target for girls like Helga, and Elsa still towered over her by at least a foot and a half. She smiled up at her love and threw her arms around her, nuzzling Elsa's shoulder. She felt Elsa sigh in relief as she brought her arms up and held Anna tightly to her.

"Come on," Elsa said after a moment, kissing the top of Anna's head, "I want to show you around."

"Alright," Anna said, reluctantly leaving the embrace, "but don't think I've forgotten about the 'other mommy' thing."

Elsa flushed down to her neckline, but said nothing as she grabbed Anna's hand and led her to the ice castle.

Anna couldn't believe the splendor inside; it had even more intricate designs than the exterior. Elsa gave her a quick tour, although it didn't do much good. Not only was Anna terrible at remembering her way through castles, she still needed to be escorted around DunBroch castle, but something started happening shortly after entering Elsa's refuge. It was almost like a thrumming inside her that blocked out anything that wasn't the Goddess holding her hand.

Finally they reached the bedchamber, and Elsa led Anna to the balcony. The sun was setting behind the mountain and sight was entrancing enough to distract her from the growing feeling insider her, at least temporarily. She walked to the ledge, her hand slipping out of Elsa's, and she leaned on the hand rail, taking everything in.

Anna looked at the breath taking view of the sun setting behind the North Mountain. She still couldn't believe all this was happening and the clawing feeling in the pit of her stomach came surging back, getting harder to ignore. Her ears picked up the almost nonexistent sound of Elsa's footsteps as she approached.

After a breath, she watched arms snake around her midsection, pulling her into the Goddess' body.

Elsa gently placed her mouth next to Anna's ear and asked, "Are you sure this is what you want? Once I start to claim you, I am not sure I will be able to stop. I'd like to think I could, but I'm not sure I'm strong enough, not with someone as beautiful as you."

Anna's breath hitched and it took all her willpower not to moan as the clawing sensation grew tenfold at the confession.

Anna turned in Elsa's arms and looked deep into her eyes. "Mark me," she whispered, stealing a chaste kiss. "Claim what has always been yours."

Elsa moaned in response and pulled Anna in for a bruising kiss. She had been fighting this feeling since she laid eyes on the girl almost a decade ago. She looked into Anna's soul to ensure she really meant it and was not just saying what Elsa wanted to hear. She was almost overwhelmed at the emotion she felt coming off the other girl. Anna felt the same intensity to bond as she did, could hear her soul crying out to join with hers. Ever the practical one, Elsa had always brushed aside the stories of 'soul mates' simple hyperbole. Her mind was instantly changed.

Satisfied that Anna truly wanted this, wanted her, Elsa pulled her back into the room and onto the bed. She laid her love down gently, and then used her magic to rip the clothes off both of them.

"Elsa, please," Anna begged, although in truth even she didn't know what it was she wanted. "Make me yours, only yours…"

Elsa shuddered at Anna's words and as she kissed down her body, she growled, "Mine."

"Yes yours, only yours," Anna shouted breathlessly. Suddenly, her hands were in Elsa's hair and pulling her face up to meet blazing teal irises and Elsa almost whimpered at the possessiveness she saw there. "Just like you're mine," Anna growled, "only mine."

There was a lump in Elsa's throat keeping her from speaking, so instead she nodded in response, never breaking eye contact, hoping to show with her eyes what she seemed to be unable to say. That no matter what happened, she belonged to Anna, and no one else would ever touch her heart.

Whatever had come over Anna seemed to pull back just enough for Elsa to be the dominate partner, but was still in the background in case it needed to take over. "Please, Elsa," Anna whimpered, "please mark me. Let everyone know I'm yours, only yours forever."

Elsa pulled her love into a passionate kiss as her fingers trailed down her body. And in the light of the setting sun she claimed Anna as her own.

* * *

I hope this chapter was worth the wait! This took so long to write cause I wanted it to live up to the build up. Let me know if I delivered!


	18. Interludes

Anna woke a few hours later, curled up into Elsa's side feeling her gently stroke her cheek. She reached up and took her hand and brought it to her lips for a kiss before looking up at her love.

"Hi," she said as soon as she made eye contact, unable and unwilling to hide the giant grin invading her face.

"Hi," Elsa replied, her trademark smirk in place, joy clearly radiating in her eyes. "You know, if I didn't know better I wouldn't believe you were a virgin last night…"

"You know I was," Anna replied, a fierce blush covering her face as she buried her face in Elsa's shoulder.

Elsa laughed lightly in response before saying, "Of course I do. Just means you're a natural at this."

Anna just groaned in response and buried her face further into Elsa's shoulder. Elsa noticed a subtle shift in Anna's mood and was able to sense what she wanted to ask. With a sigh, Elsa said, "Belle."

"Belle?"

"She was my first, and only other," she clarified. "It was just after the war. Her father Maurice, you may know him as Morpheus, had passed on and she was trying to escape her grief. I was trying to run away from my guilt from the war and everything I had been responsible for and we just kind of found each other. It was a short affair, by our standards, and was more about a physical release than an emotional attachment. We have always remained close friends but have never come close to that line again."

"Oh," Anna replied. After a long pause, she said, "She's really pretty…"

Elsa could sense her insecurities and wanted to nip those fears in the bud.

"You're right, she is," Elsa replied, a thoughtful look on her face. The hurt on Anna's face lasted only for a moment before it was replaced with surprise as Elsa rolled over and pinned both her hands over her head with one hand. She spoke as her other hand reverently explored her body, "But she has nothing on you. To me you will always surpass her be it beauty," Elsa paused to nip Anna's ear, "in spirit," kissed her cheek, "or in how much I could ever love you," she finally whispered above Anna's lips before fiercely claiming them. She pulled away a second later to declare, "You are mine. I don't want her, I only want you and I always will."

Feelings of insecurity long past, Anna looked up at Elsa and with an impish grin, rolled her hips and said, "Prove it."

Elsa gladly complied.

* * *

Several hours later, Kristoff grumbled as he searched for firewood.

After departing the Sanctuary, he caught up to Alex and guided her to her private room. As one of the Seven she was allotted her own room at the temple, and it was there he held her as she wept. He didn't know why she kept giving him chances, but he was determined to prove his worth, and that meant holding her as she cried through the pain of her father's abandonment.

After she had calmed down, he was able to distract her with conversation. It was there that he learned the dreams he'd been having of her for months weren't just dreams. She didn't know herself, but after he confessed to the dreams of her in the cabin she figured out Niorun's involvement. It gave him no small amount of comfort knowing the gods were supportive enough to try and encourage their match despite his thick headedness. So he didn't mind when she fell asleep in his arms due to emotional exhaustion since he knew he'd be able to see her in his dreams. He was not disappointed.

That is until he discovered the cabin they were residing in was out of firewood. Despite it being a dream, they were not able to simply imagine more wood, which meant Kristoff had to go out to the woodshed where he knew he stored extra. Except when he got there that was empty too, so muttering every profanity he knew, he grabbed his axe and headed for the nearest tree.

"Can't have this one thing going for me," Kristoff mumbled as he swung his axe with as much force as he could muster. "It's a fucking dream and I can't even conjure up some wood or keep the fire going indefinitely so I can spend the time cuddling with Alex. Nope, I gotta be out here chopping wood freezing my ass off…"

"That would be my fault," said a woman who suddenly appeared in front of him. "You have my apologies for inconveniencing you."

Kristoff immediately recognized her as the Winter Goddess and dropped to his knees.

"Forgive me, I didn't know you were there," Kristoff said hastily, hoping the Goddess would forgive his profanities.

"Rise," the Goddess said as she motioned with her hands, "I didn't exactly announce myself. I wished to speak with you and this was the only way I could get you alone."

"Is this about Anna," Kristoff asked once he was standing.

Cocking her head to the side, the Goddess asked, "Why would you think that?"

"Because the way Alex explained it you essentially married my sister."

"That's true," She conceded before looking him over. "You don't approve, I can sense you are upset."

"It's not what you think," he hastily denied.

"Then please explain so I do," She demanded, a single eyebrow raised over eyes that had suddenly gone hard.

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he tried to gather his thoughts. "I always thought I'd be able to protect her if her significant other ever abused her."

"I see," the Goddess replied.

"I can't protect her if you take advantage of her," Kristoff confessed, slumping against the tree he'd been viciously attacking not a moment before. "There is nothing I could ever do to you should you wish to abuse her and I hate feeling helpless. So please… don't hurt her."

Kristoff watched her eyes soften before saying, "I swear to you I won't. I love her."

"Thank you," he said with a sigh.

"You're welcome," the Goddess replied, extending her hand, "but that is not why I'm here."

"Then what is," Kristoff asked as he took her hand and stood.

"My niece," she answered simply.

"Niece?"

"Alex," She explained.

"Alex is your… what… how…?"

"Vidar, her father, is my brother," the Goddess explained slowly, clearly amused at Kristoff's distress.

"For the love of… I hadn't put it together... of course being the daughter of the Shapeshifter would make her your niece…"

Elsa did her best to hide her reaction to his distress, difficult as it may have been. He was starting to ramble much like Anna did and it was amusing to see the similarities. "Vidar has had many children over the years, but she is the first who I recognized as my blood, and the only I have declared as my own before the Pantheon. She has been through much in this life, more than any deserve to endure. What right do you have to claim her heart?"

"I don't,"Kristoff confessed, head lowered in shame, "I don't deserve her. Even if she wasn't of your blood, she is the heir to DunBroch and far above the dreams of a common farmer like myself. If that weren't enough, I ignored her then let my insecurities get the better of me and yelled at her when she was most vulnerable."

"You are not helping your case, boy," the Goddess threatened.

"That's because I don't deserve any leniency," Kristoff replied. "I've hurt her too many times and yet she still seems to think I'm worth it. Now that I've finally got my head on straight, I aim to prove to her that's not a mistake, no matter what I have to do."

The Goddess looked him over again before saying, "You're lucky she's so willing to forgive you. I'll give you this chance to prove yourself, but be warned, this is your only chance. Hurt her again…"

"I understand," Kristoff said before raising his head. He seemed to contemplate something before asking, "If I may be so bold?"

"Speak," the Goddess allowed.

"She knows speaking out against the God Vidar as she did was wrong and knows that you will have to punish her for it." Elsa tensed at his words, she didn't want to think about how she would have to punish her niece, but allowed the human to speak. "She understands what you have to do, her greatest fear is that by doing what she did, she's pushed you away as well." At her curious look, Kristoff explained, "Earlier, when she was sobbing after the encounter, she kept saying over and over she'd failed and pushed away the last of her family. When she said she wasn't going to see her aunt again, I assumed she meant her royal Aunt Merida. She is distraught believing she has pushed you away. I beg you, after you do what you have to do to her, please don't abandon her."

"I would never…"

"Please don't assume just because I am mortal I am stupid," Kristoff interrupted. Elsa was taken aback by this farm boy who minutes ago coward before her now dared to challenge her. "You need to harshly punish her, and considering her crime, I'm going to assume that means have her publicly beaten."

"You assume correctly," Elsa answered, throat tight.

"That would cause a rift in any family," Kristoff continued. "She knows what she did was wrong, she knows she deserves this, and she fears the guilt you suffer would drive you away from her. Please, she has lost so much already in this life, don't abandon her."

Elsa silently contemplated what Kristoff had said before responding, "You have earned my favor. I would not have fully understood her point of view, nor her fears, if not for you. I will be vigilant not to abandon her, but to be fair my attention is somewhat distracted at the moment…"

"Please spare me details," he quickly interjected. "I'm glad you two are happy, but I can barely handle the idea of my baby sister having sex, please don't scar me by giving me a visual."

Unable to hold back her laugh this time, Elsa decided despite his faults she like the boy her niece had chosen. "I will extend you this favor," she said with an exaggerated curtsy, causing Kristoff's jaw to drop in surprise.

"Now I see it…"

"See what," Elsa asked, confused.

"Exactly how Anna would describe the girl from her dreams," he explained. "I'm sorry I didn't believe her sooner."

"You were there for her when it mattered," Elsa replied, "and for Alex. Now I recommend you go spend as much time with her as possible before I must… do what needs to be done."

"That's the plan," Kristoff said with a sigh, "once I finish collecting enough firewood…"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that," Elsa said pointing to his wood shed. Kristoff turned and was surprised to see that it had been filled. "I told you this was my fault. I needed an opportunity to talk with you and this was the only way considering most of my attention is dominated by you sister." Elsa's playful side of her couldn't miss the opportunity to tease.

She was somewhat disappointed when he only had a slight flinch. He gave her smirk before saying, "I guess that's fair, considering this is the only time your niece will let me out of her sight…"

Her eyes narrowed momentarily before conceding, "Well played."

Kristoff watched her disappear before shaking his head and making his way back towards the cabin. Trading sexual innuendos with one of the most powerful goddesses in the Pantheon while he dated her niece? His life had certainly taken an interesting turn.

* * *

"You still with me," Anna asked, leaning above Elsa, "you seem distracted."

Elsa raised a hand to lightly stroke Anna's cheek as she answered, "Sorry about that. There was something that required my attention."

"So what, you just daydream and it magically gets taken care of?"

"More like multitasking," she explained with smile, "so I don't have to move as it gets done. Although if you'd rather I left…"

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere," Anna said, leaning down.

"What did you have in mind," Elsa asked, her smirk firmly in place.

"You could start by explaining the other mommy comment." When Anna saw Elsa's jaw drop in surprise, she stated, "I told you I wouldn't forget about it."

With a defeated sigh Elsa pointed to a small table beside the bed and said, "If you would, look in the top drawer of the nightstand."

Curious, Anna rolled off Elsa and went to the nightstand. Opening the drawer, a small gasp escaped when she reached in and pulled out Olaf, the little stuffed snowman she'd left as an offering years ago.

"You got my gift," Anna asked, tears forming at the thought of gift being kept so close to her love for all these years. She sat back down on the bed reverently holding the snowman.

"Of course I did," Elsa answered, coming up behind Anna and wrapping her arms around her waist as she rested her chin on her shoulders. "I was there when you gave it to me."

"I didn't know… I mean I knew at the time, but I just thought…"

"That it wasn't possible for a God to appear before a mortal," Elsa guessed. Anna lightly nodded her head, still looking at the stuffed snowman. "That's common. Children easily believe anything is possible, whereas adults stop believing that. But to answer your original question, after you gave him to me, I kept him with me all the time."

"You did," she asked with a small voice.

"I did. You see, when a gift is given from the heart, a small piece of that person is given as well. So whenever I had had him with me, it was like you were there as well." Elsa paused as she noticed a tear roll down Anna's cheek. Bringing a hand up, she softly wiped it away before continuing. "It wasn't until the anniversary of my parents' death several years ago that I created Olaf. Vidar had just left and the loneliness and despair I normally feel on that day was threatening to overwhelm me. I was holding your gift, wishing more than anything that you were there, or at the very least asleep so I could be with you in your dreams. That was when I got an idea, I used my magic to create him and the piece of your essence to give him life. He was never a substitute for you, but he has always been there to help cheer me up when I've needed it most."

She watched Anna place the snowman on the nightstand, still not looking at her. Fear started to seep into that maybe she'd overstepped her bounds somehow. Pulling away slightly, she said, "I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable…"

She was quickly interrupted as Anna turned around and crashed their lips together. Pulling back just enough to speak, Anna said, "I'm done with talking. Right now I really want you to kiss me."

With a smile Elsa laid Anna back on the bed and said, "As my lady commands."

* * *

Deep in the forest, far away from the temple or any village, Vidar crawled into a tiny shack he called his home. There were injuries covering his body and he was bleeding profusely. He quickly cleaned them as best he could before wrapping them and collapsing on his bed. He had found Aloisa and confronted her. She responded by shifting into a bear and attacking him. Never imagining she would attack him he was not prepared and was barely able to get way before she had done any serious damage. Exhausted from the ordeal, he passed out.

The next thing he knew, he was back in the cabin he shared with Aili. It was exactly as he remembered it, the familiarity of it causing his heart to ache at what he had lost. There was even a figment of Aili sitting in a rocking chair he had made in front of the fire.

Sensing his presence, she turned, eyes lighting up when she saw him.

"Vidar," she said happily as she ran over to him.

She stopped short of him before looking him over. "You're not a dream, are you," she asked him. Without waiting for him to reply, she continued, "When I dream of you, you are always happy to see me and ask about Bridget. It's only ever been when we've really been together that you look so sad to see me."

He wanted to assure her he was always happy when he saw her, that he really did want to know about his daughter, but the only words he could choke out were, "I'm so sorry I failed you."

Aili reached out and held him as emotions overwhelmed him. She slowly rocked him as he sobbed, waiting until he calmed enough to understand her before she spoke. "It is true you have so far not kept your promise to protect Alex, but that doesn't mean you can't start now."

Looking up, he asked, "How did you know she goes by Alex?"

With sad eyes she answered, "Elsa told me." He tried turning away in shame, but she framed his face with her hands and kept him from looking away. "It is true you have let us both down, but that doesn't mean you can't make it right."

"I swear it," he promised around a lump in his throat, "I will protect her, however I am able."

Biting her lip, Aili asked, "May I ask a favor?"

"Anything," Vidar answered, bringing his hands up to hers.

"Would you visit me from time to time? Elsa comes by on a regular basis and someone brought you here, so there must be a way…"

"As soon as I am able to travel, I will visit with Hel and find a way to make this happen."

"Thank you," Aili sighed leaning into Vidar's chest. She brought his hands down to wrap around her waist before moving hers behind his back.

He held her tightly to himself vowing this time to keep his word and make things right.

* * *

A/N: Thank the makers of Jager and Captain Morgan for this chapter. Last night before I had anything to drink I only had the first paragraph written. So you can imagine my surprise when I woke up and found this 3000 word chapter saved. Also drunk me searched for multiple bacon and egg scramble recipes, a baked cheese dip recipe, and signed me up for tumblr. Not really sure what else I did but nothing's on the internet and I didn't send texts out to anyone or make any suspicious phone calls, so over all I guess it's a win. So yeah, I'm on tumblr under this name if you want to check it out. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing, so don't be insulted if I don't respond. Interesting FYI: you get some weird shit pop up when you sign up drunk. My page was full of pictures of food, flower arrangements, and one guy who clearly spends waaaay too much time on Minecraft. To be fair, his giant castle and with a town and a giant clock tower is pretty cool.

The dialog between Elsa and Kristoff where the trade "I'm banging you sister/I'm banging your niece" comments is a clear contribution from drunk me. I was going to edit it out, but I thought it was really funny, so I kept it. It's kind OOC, but I was amused so it stayed.

Side note: bacon and egg scramble cassarole = amazing hangover food.


	19. The Punishment

Dressed in a simple white cotton shirt and pants, Alex looked out over the assembled crowed as she waited in the courtyard of the temple. Due to the nature of her crime and her station, she would be publically tried and punished in front of all who came to bear witness. She wished it had been closed to only members of the Order; she really could do without the priests watching this. Many of them were jealous of the Children of Winter and the close bond they had with the Goddess. It was clear that many of them would enjoy watching one of the chosen seven get beaten. The worst of them was Roderick, High Priest of Skadi, who insisted that his position merited a spot directly behind her. The few interactions between Alex and the high priest had resulted in an adversarial relationship between the two. He believed she was too young and cavalier for a member of the Seven; she thought he had a stick shoved too far up his ass it affected his brain functions. Alex could practically feel his condescending grin on her back.

A part of her also wished Kristoff was not here. She knew it was to show his support, but all the same, it wasn't something she wanted him to see. Or Anna, she thought with a sigh as she made eye contact with her friend. As their official commander, Anna not only had to be present, but also had to show unquestioning support for whatever punishment the Winter Goddess sentenced her with. It was clear she wasn't happy with the situation, but she was going along with it. Alex had written her a message to be delivered by Alistair as soon as she was told her trial had been set explaining just enough to keep her friend from lashing out. Anna needed to show that she could carry the role of the Consort even if she personally disagreed with the Goddess, not just to the Children of Winter, but the Gods of the Pantheon.

That last thought brought her eyes just behind Anna, to an altar belonging to Skadi. It wasn't unusual to find random altars and shrines dedicated to the Goddess in various locations throughout the complex and the surrounding area. What was uncommon was all the different braziers to the different Gods lining up along each side. _Public crime, public punishment_, Alex thought, barely holding back a sneer.

A loud thump behind her brought her out of her thoughts. Looking at the object that made the noise, she was unable to hold back her look of disdain. It was a giant inclined stone with Alistair and another man on either side. Their job entailed holding down those unwilling or unable to withstand the Goddess' punishment. Directly above it were two looped ropes for the judged to hold onto, those who had the honor to accept the fate they deserved.

"_Dróttinn_," Kai said, "Once again I feel I must object to your plans…"

"And once again I must insist I really don't care," Alex interrupted.

"But your injured shoulder can't support the strain of holding onto to the ropes," Kai pointed out while gesturing to her arm still in the sling.

"I don't care," Alex replied firmly, looking away from the surgeon. "I will not compound my earlier transgression with the dishonor of being held down like a coward."

Kai's response was cut off by the braziers all lighting at once, signaling the arrival of the Gods and Goddesses for the beginning of the trial. Since she was standing before the Goddess as a prisoner, not one of her top generals, she immediately got down on her knees and bowed her head. Commander Geir stepped in front of her in his dressed in his silver ceremonial armor complete with a deep blue cape marked with Skadi's symbol in silver. In his hands he held a rolled parchment containing Alex's sentence written in the Goddess' hand, the end sealed in red ink with the Goddess' seal pressed in it. From the look on his face it was clear he did not relish the duty that had been assigned to him.

"_Dróttinn _Alexandra of DunBroch, you have been charged with blasphemy and vituperation towards the Lord Vidar, brother to Skadi. All who stand to be judged before the Goddess are entitled to a trial. Do you wish to proceed with one?"

Clearing her throat around the sudden lump that had formed, she said loudly enough for all present, "No, I confess my guilt to all charges brought against me."

The commander waited a moment for the shocked gasps and murmurings from the crowd to die down before asking, "Is there anything you wish to say in your defense before your sentence is carried out?"

Alex took a moment to gather her thoughts before saying, "I am a mortal who dared speak slander to a God; there is nothing to say in my defense. I do not dare ask for mercy, only forgiveness from the Lord Vidar for my words and disrespect and from our Goddess for the shame I brought to her."

"Very well," Commander Geir stated before breaking the seal on the parchment and reading aloud, "'For the crimes of blasphemy and vituperation against my brother, Vidar the Shapeshifter, in front of My altar and in front of My entire pantheon, I sentence Alexandra of DunBroch to twenty lashes to be witnessed by all gathered. As I have willed it, so it will be.'" Commander Geir rolled the parchment back up before ordering the men standing near the stone, "Make ready the prisoner."

"Don't bother," Alex said quickly as she rose, "I'll hold myself up, redeeming what's left of my honor."

As she turned and reached to grab onto the rope with her one good arm, Kai pleaded with the commander, "Please, order her onto the stone."

"If she is willing to try to redeem herself and hold onto the rope I cannot order her onto it and I will not make a circus out of this by trying to force her down."

"But she cannot hold herself up with one hand and would permanently damage her other arm if she tried to use it."

Just then, foot holds made of ice appeared under the rope.

"It appears the Goddess has spoken," Alex said to the surgeon with what she hoped was a smirk but feared came off as a grimace. She placed her feet into the holds to help anchor her against the coming onslaught.

As the whip was brought to Commander Geir and made ready, he asked, "Does the judged have any final words before the sentence is carried out?"

"If I can make it to ten without yelling a profanity, you owe me a drink."

Alex could hear the shocked gasps from the crowd, but caught Alistair fighting a smirk. The look on Roderick's made whatever the fallout from that comment worth it. She managed to flash him an impish grin before being blindsided with the first lash. It hurt worse than she'd anticipated and she barely restrained herself from crying out in pain. She failed when the second lash came harder than the first.

Alex tried to focus on breathing to distract from the pain, but it was difficult. Not only were the lashes themselves painful, but the stinging bite left from the whip was almost more than she could bear and each new lash seemed to add to the stinging pain pulsing through her. It also wasn't helping that each lash thrust her forward despite the footholds, jarring her injured arm.

By the third lash her mind wiped anything but the sting from the whip and the throbbing left in its wake; by the fifth she couldn't recall where she was or even her name; by the seventh she felt her grip loosen on the rope, and although she couldn't remember why, she knew it was important she not let go. After the eighth strike she was barely hanging on. Commander Geir paused to give her a chance to readjust or for the men to grab her and place her on the stone. That respite was all her brain needed to start functioning again and suddenly she remembered why she could not let go. She knew without seeing the sympathetic look from Alistair that she would not be able to lift herself again. They started moving towards her to lay her down, but stopped suddenly. Alex was confused as she heard someone climb the stairs onto the platform and stop next to her. She finally managed to turn her head as she felt someone take her hand from the rope and hold her weight. It was a woman, and Alex looked her over trying to place her even as her brain screamed she knew her.

"You're a much heavier than you look," the person exclaimed.

Red hair… red hair with a white stripe… she knew her…

"Anna," the realization hit her like lightening. Remembering where she was she shook her head futility trying to clear it and tried again, "_Goði_ you shouldn't be here…"

"You're absolutely right," Anna replied heatedly. "None of us should be here, but apparently you had to go pick a fight with my brother-in-law."

"_Goði_, you are interrupting Skadi's will," Roderick chastised angrily.

"I'm not interrupting anything," Anna shot back. "I'm not stopping Commander Geir from carrying out Her punishment, I'm just helping my idiot friend who's too stubborn for her own good, and who by the way totally needs to go on a diet because seriously, this is ridiculous, I had no idea you were this heavy."

"I'm sure there was a compliment in there somewhere," Alex shot back. Had she not been in so much pain, she would have been laughing at the expression on the high priest's face.

"Any time you're ready to continue Commander," Anna called out. "She's not getting any lighter!"

"_Goði_," Commander Geir started, "it is in your best interest to move. Should the whip not hit where I aim you could be struck."

"Then don't miss," Anna grunted.

"_Goði_, if I may," Alistair said as he stepped forward and bowed low, "I will hold the _Dróttinn_'s side and if you wish you can support her front to keep her from surging forward."

"That sounds like a great idea 'cause I'm pretty sure she's like a thousand pounds," Anna grunted as Alistair traded places with her.

"Why are we friends again," Alex asked before grunting in pain as Commander Geir resumed, striking her for the ninth time.

"Because I'm willing to put up with you, you stubborn ass," Anna said angrily as she placed her hands on Alex's shoulders as the next hit landed on her back.

"Congratulations, _Dróttinn_," Alistair hissed as the recoil from the whip caught his cheek, "you made it to ten without swearing."

"So I did," Alex panted with a smirk. "Guess the Commander needs to spend more time polishing his sword to build up his strength and endurance."

"Even now you would disgrace yourself with such talk," Roderick condemned.

"I don't get it, what does polishing a sword have to do with arm strength," Anna asked.

Alex gave her friend an amused look before saying, "It means he needs to spend more time… SON OF A BITCH!"

"Eleven," Commander Geir said simply, readying for the next strike. As the commander continued, it once again became harder for Alex to hold herself up on her legs without Alistair's help. By the end, her weight was being completely supported by Alistair and Anna, both of whom were breathing hard from the excretion of hold her friend up.

She could barely keep her legs from collapsing by the time it was over. Allowing her head to droop to the side Alistair was on, she muttered, "Turn me around."

"Why," Roderick demanded, "so you can look at Commander Gier before you insult his manhood some more?"

"So I may face the Goddess and those I had offended and bow before I'm carted off to the infirmary," she shot back.

"By bow you mean fall on your face," Alistair grunted as he helped her turn.

"Very likely," Alex answered before straightening best she could. Once she had her balance, she removed her arm from around Alistair's shoulder, crossed her arms as much as she could with one still in its sling, and bowed slightly towards the altar and braziers. Almost immediately she lost her balance and would have lurched off the platform if it hadn't been for Alistair catching her shoulder.

As Alistair resumed holding Alex's weight, Commander Geir spoke, "_Dróttinn _Alexandra of DunBroch, your penance has been accepted by Skadi and her brother Vidar. 'May your path always be lit in the dark.'"

Bowing her head in acknowledgement, she allowed Alistair to guide her off the platform and towards the infirmary. High Priest Roderick and Kai trailing close behind, each with their separate condemnations.

"I hope you're happy," Kai grumbled. "You could have seriously injured your arm with that little show of pride."

"If one the Seven of our Order does not have the honor to accept one's penance without being held down like a coward what does that say about the other members," Alex questioned between pants.

"You call that a penance," the high priest demanded. "You showed no difference at all! I cannot believe the Goddess would accept such continued blasphemy and irreverence…"

"Should you wish to question the Goddess we all serve, Her altar is over there," Geir interrupted causing the group to stop. "You can see She is still present, I'm sure she would love to hear her high priest publicly question Her."

Scowling, Roderick slunk away to his lackeys on the other side of the courtyard. Alex had just started to snicker when Geir smacked the back of her head.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Oh so that hurt," he asked with a raised eyebrow. "Still think I need to spend time polishing my sword?"

"Ha, yes, well, about that…"

"You will finish this in the infirmary," Kai interrupted, "I must see the _Dróttinn_'s injuries and make sure her arm was not reinjured."

"See this is why you have no friends," Alex muttered as Alistair started moving again.

"I will have to end the conversation here, unfortunately, as other matters demand my attention, _Dróttinn_," Geir responded. "However, once you're moving again come find me and I'll get you that drink I owe you."

"Looking forward to it," Alex grunted as she was led out, Kai lecturing her the entire way.

* * *

Anna stood next to Elsa as they both watched Alex led out of the courtyard. The Goddess remained invisible to the crowd around them, and with little effort concealed Anna from their sight as well. Although glad it was over with, Elsa was still livid it happened in the first place. If it hadn't been for her idiot brother or her niece's temper…

Forcing herself to calm down before she caused a blizzard, she turned to Anna. She noticed her Consort was nervously biting her bottom lip and could sense her unease. "What's bothering you, Love?"

"Huh? Oh… it's just that… I'm sorry if it looked like I didn't support you."

"What are you talking about," Elsa asked, turning to fully face her.

"I know how important appearances are, and no one would tell me what happened, just that she deserved this, which, by the way, totally sucks being left out of the loop like that-"

"Anna, breathe," Elsa interjected.

She gave a frustrated huff in response before she said, "The point is, I was angry about this whole thing, but kept silent because it's important that I don't question you in public, right?"

"That's correct," she answered, not sure what Anna was getting at.

"Well, I'm worried that when I went up there it looked like I was doing just that," Anna finished in a rush.

Realization dawning on the Goddess, Elsa smiled down and gently put a hand on her cheek. "Put your fears to rest, you did no such thing. In fact, you did more to solidify your place."

"I did?" Anna was genuinely confused. "How?"

"You now have the respect and loyalty from the Children of Winter," Elsa answered. Seeing Anna still didn't understand, she explained, "In front of Gods and men you risked the bite of the whip to help one of their own maintain her honor. That is no small thing in their eyes. They would have listened to you before because of who you are to me; they follow your now because they trust you will look out for them."

Shocked, Anna stammered, "But I didn't… I wasn't trying…"

"I know, you just wanted to help your friend," Elsa said smiling as she pulled Anna into her arms, "and that's one of the many things I love about you."

Humming appreciatively, Anna melted into the embrace. They stood like that for a blissful moment before Anna finally asked, "Will you ever tell me why this had to happen?"

Elsa quietly thought back to the night before, when she called Alex into her sanctuary to inform her of the trial. Her niece's only request was her true nature be kept from Anna for now. She argued she should be the one to tell her friend about her dual nature, and that hours before a public beating wasn't the time. Reluctantly, Elsa agreed.

"It is not for me to tell," she sighed. "As soon as Alex is ready, she will explain."

"Alright," Anna replied with a disappointed sigh. "But it better not be as shocking as being called 'other mommy' by a snowman."

"I should hope not," Elsa laughed before grabbing Anna's hand and leading her out. "Now I would really like to spend some time with you away from here to try and take my mind from all this."

"I live to serve," Anna replied with an impish grin.

Rolling her eyes, Elsa grabbed one of Anna's hands before quickly heading towards her ice castle.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for how long this chapter took. The tail end of the school semester kicked my ass (electrical engineering degrees are time consuming). Though I can't blame that for everything, I got Dragon Age Inquisition and haven't been able to put it down. Thank you PotterPhantomKitten for your review, it was the kick in the ass I needed to finish this chapter. Hoping to get the next chapter written and posted in the next week or so. Classes resume mid January and once again my time will be severely limited. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think!


	20. Recovering

A/N: So I have several apologies, one for how short this is and another one for how long it has taken me to type up. School has been kicking my ass more than normal and I wanted to get this out before midterms hit. Also, I'll be duel posting this story on here and archive of our own (AO3) under the username Sparks89. It isn't up yet because I'm actually editing the story a bit (introducing characters sooner, messing with the timeline a little so it makes sense to my OCD, and trying to give some side characters more depth). The basics of the story will remain the same, it's just a few things that have been bugging me. I plan on making the same changes here and will post an AN once I'm done if anyone's interested in reading it.

One thing I wanted to point out since a lot of people were asking me: Anna is still human. Sorry I wasn't clear enough about that and thank you to everyone who messaged me to ask letting me know I hadn't made that obvious.

* * *

Kristoff quietly made his way out of the clinic after Kai kicked him out. He'd been with Alex since he'd helped Alistair carry her here almost 12 hours ago. The only reason the surgeon was successful kicking him out was because he'd been falling asleep in his chair and his stomach was starting to make itself known. Even though Alex was passed out from the draught Kai had given her, he still whispered to her his promise to return soon.

He took great pains to shut the door quietly, just to turn and smack into someone. "I am so sorry," he started to say, just to notice it was his sister he'd knocked to the ground. "Anna! I-I didn't see you…"

"It's alright," Anna replied as she stood, "it's not like I haven't done that to you a hundred times before."

"Yeah, I guess," he deadpanned, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. They stood in silence for a minute before he forced a laugh and said, "Odin's ass, could this be any more awkward?"

"Doubtful," Anna shot back with a small smile. "How's Alex doing?"

"Just as you'd expect," Kristoff answered with a small laugh. "Almost as soon as we got her there she tried to sneak out. Kai had to threaten to chain her to the bed to get her to stay."

"That actually worked?"

"He can be pretty intimidating when he wants," he replied. "By the way, in case she doesn't say anything, what you did earlier by holding her up… that meant a lot to her. And I don't just mean saving face with her Order."

"She's my best friend," Anna answered quickly, "nothing's changed."

"Everything's changed," Kristoff shot back, trying to keep any bitterness from seeping into his voice. "You're not just a person anymore; you're an icon with an army that would proudly die for you."

"I'm still human, and you're still my big brother," Anna said thickly as she tentatively placed her hand on his left arm.

Kristoff sighed before placing his right hand on top of hers and gave her a small smile. "Yes I am." He watched her relax before continuing, "So much has happened, it's going to take some time to adjust… but I promise I'll always be your big brother and will be there if you need me."

Anna was barely able to force out a watery 'thank you' before collapsing into his arms and releasing out all the tension she'd been carrying.

"It's going to be quiet at home without you," Kristoff finally managed to say, fighting his own tears.

"About that," Anna started, pulling back slightly, "how do you think people would react if I… if I came home?"

He watched her chew her bottom lip nervously as he thought how to answer. "You know it won't be easy."

"I know," she answered, shaking her head and looking down nervously, "I can't explain it, but I need to go home. If just to see Mama and Papa…"

Kristoff thought it over before asking, "When do we leave?"

Anna broke out in a huge smile that was contagious before answering, "Not for a bit. El… Skadi promised I could leave soon, but she needed to have a few things fall into place to ensure my safety." At Kristoff's questioning glance, she added on, "I have no idea what that means, but as long as I can go home, I don't really care."

"Who knows, maybe we can find a way to sweet talk Princess Merida and get Alex to come along for the trip."

"After what happened last time we traveled in your company, I'm not sure she'll be keen to allow that," Alistair said as he exited the clinic, his cheek patched from where it had caught the whip. "However, if it is allowed, I would proudly ride with you and make up your personal guard."

"I don't know what to say," Anna replied, touched by his offer. "You would leave your home to protect me?"

"There isn't much there for me," he answered with a shrug. "I never knew my parents and until I joined the Children of Winter never really belonged anywhere. Besides, how many people can say the serve the Consort of a Goddess?"

"What will Alex say," Kristoff asked.

"Probably something highly inappropriate," Alistair replied. "Honestly, I would be surprised if she didn't find a way eventually to command your personal guard. As you know, she can be stubborn."

"That's one word for it," Kristoff muttered.

"All the same, my sword is yours," he said before bowing low and walking away.

"I can't believe he would want to follow me," Anna said quietly and she watched the knight depart.

"I told you," Kristoff sighed, "everything's changed."

Anna didn't say anything, just rested her head on her brother's chest.

* * *

Several days later Anna and Alex were walking around the temple. Kai had just given her permission to leave the sick room under strict instruction not to overdo herself and Anna was unofficially assigned to make sure she obeyed those orders. She talked her friend into giving her a tour of the temple and the surrounding area. They had just left the stables and were wondering towards the front of the temple complex. Alex went along, begrudgingly, only because she knew it was the only way she'd be able to escape the sick room, if only for a while.

"So how are you settling in," Alex asked after a companionable silence.

"It's still strange to have so many people look up to me like this," Anna confessed.

"You get used to it," Alex replied with a shrug.

"You say it like this is easy."

"People looking up to you is the easy part," she shot back, "it's when you have to start ordering them to do more than march that you feel the true weight of it."

Anna looked over and saw how tight her friend's features had become. "Did they ever get a final count of the men?"

"Roughly three quarters made it here," Alex answered. "For those that didn't, there isn't much left to send home to their families."

"The ones you have found, have they been buried or…"

"We were waiting until all had been found or at least until we had found all we were going to. The priests have been preparing their bodies and tonight we were going to light a pyre for them," Alex answered. She may have been able to block the emotion from her voice, but Anna could still see the pain in her features.

Nervously biting her lip, Anna said, "I'd like to be there, if it wouldn't impose…"

"It would mean a lot to the men if you were there," Alex answered quickly, voice still emotionless. A heavy silence descended the pair before Alex finally confessed in a broken voice, "It would mean a lot to me if you were there."

Anna offered her friend a small smile before pulling her into a hug. After a moment, she tentatively asked, "Those that were found… Was Sir Bryant among them?"

"There's been no trace of him," Alex answered around a lump in her throat as she pulled back slightly.

"You don't know he's gone if you haven't found his body," Anna offered.

"It doesn't look good," Alex replied, looking at the ground.

"I'd appreciate if you'd wait until I was actually dead before you tried to bury me, lass," a gruff voice came from behind the pair. Both girls immediately looked over to see Sir Bryant standing on a pair of crutches as soldiers with standards neither girl recognized entered the temple grounds.

"Sir Bryant," Alex asked disbelievingly, "how did you… who are… what happened…"

"I think she's trying to ask how you survived and what company you're traveling with," Anna interpreted when her friend continued to struggle to form a coherent sentence.

Seeming to notice Anna for the first time, he bowed as well as he could on crutches, before saying, "Apologies, I didn't see you standing there, _Goði_. And to answer your question, after dodging the Cultists of Summer despite me injuries, I was lucky to run into these soldiers who were also making their way here as an escort and allowed me to follow."

"Just like that," Alex asked. "Who were they escorting?"

Sir Bryant merely smirked and moved to the side revealing a tall black haired man and a frazzled looking Princess Merida.

"You," the Princess said as soon as she saw her niece, frustration and exhaustion clear in her voice. "You wanna tell me why in the name of all the fey I run into Sir Bryant alone, your arm is in a sling, and I'm getting a summons from the Goddess of Winter herself?"

Anna had to fight back a laugh at the wide eyed look Alex was giving her aunt. After a long pause, Alex finally answered, "I'm starting to miss Kai's sick room…"

That time Anna was unable to hold back her laugh.


	21. A New Path

"Really, I can explain everything," Alex said hurridly and Merida dragged the young royal by her left ear across the courtyard.

"Oh you'd better, or the Goddess help me…" the Princess muttered as they entered the temple.

"I don't envy her right now," Sir Bryant sighed. "Her Highness nearly lost it when I encountered her escort in the woods, I can only imagine what the lass has coming to her."

"Well, all of this must be a shock," Anna offered diplomatically.

"That feels like an understatement," he replied with a smirk. "I'm glad you made it to the temple safely, Goði. May I assume Alistar and your brother also made it safely?"

"They did," Anna answered, and saw the old knight immediately relax. "He should be training in the yards if you wish to talk to him. And don't let him belittle his role in saving me, he is the reason we got here safely."

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied, bowing as much as he was able before heading to the training yard.

"You're blowing this way out of proportion…" Alex said sheepishly as she was dragged down the corridor into a small prayer room with an alter to Skadi.

"So let me get this straight," Merdia started angrily, accent growing thick, as she let go of her niece's ear. "You left the safety of the village despite my orders to stay there knowing more than I the dangers that lurk in the forest. While out run into a cult dedicated to destroying the Goddess to whom's order you belong and everything She holds dear. Once encountering these madman you decide the best course of action is to send every one of your guards off and face them on your own, and instead of a cultist you face a mythical shapechanger who almost takes off your arm. Tell me, lass, what have I 'blown way out of proportion'?"

"Well, when you put it like that…" Alex conceded as she rubbed her tender ear.

"I swear, girl if you weren't acting on the Goddess' behalf…"

"But she was," Elsa interrupted, the brazier next to her alter came to life. "And as the Goddess, I am proud of her and how she fought to ensure my beloved arrived her safely."

Alex puffed out her chest and got an impish grin on her face when the Goddess continued, voice cold, "But as her blood relation who wishes to ensure her safety, I am not happy with the risks that were taken."

She immediately deflated at the words spoken and the glare from both women.

"I thought we discussed this," Merida asked, turning to Elsa. "You promised me you would protect her."

"I promised I would not put her in harm's way," the Goddess corrected. "I had not realized the Cult of Summer had grown so strong in my lands."

Alex's jaw dropped at the interaction between the two women. "You knew," she demanded.

"Aili was my twin, girl. Do you really think she could keep anything from me," Merdia asked with a raised eyebrow. "I knew she'd fallen for the Lord Vidar long before she did, and let me tell ya, it's as awkward as ya think listening to a girl talk about falling in love with a statue. But then she started talking like she knew him and when she started make preperations, I knew. I confronted her, just before she left DunBroch. She begged me not to tell, maybe if I had…"

"She would have left anyway," Elsa finished, interrupting the princess. "My brother had cause to get her out of there and would not have let you stopped him."

"But maybe if I'd let someone know…"

"Nothing would have changed," Elsa assured the princess. "Once my brother sets his mind to something, it is impossible to change it."

"Why have you summoned me, Winter Goddess," Merida asked, changing the subject from the one that still caused her pain even years later.

She seemed to take a moment to compose herself before saying bluntly, "Alex is to remain here to lead Anna's personal guard."

"Not a chance," the princess shot back immediately. "I've already lost my twin thanks to your brother, I'll not lose all I have left of her to you!"

Alex cringed, expecting the Goddess anger for her mortal aunt's blaspheme, but saw only sorrow on her face. Taking a chance, Alex gently placed a hand on her aunt's shoulder, causing the red haired woman to look sharply at her.

"You know I need to be here," Alex said softly. "I'm the only one who can protect her."

"But who'll protect you, lass," Merida asked, her voice cracking.

"I have plenty I know who will guard my back, and I swear no more risks like the one I took getting here."

Merida hung her head for a moment before sighing in defeat and asking, "Who will tell Mother?"

"I will make sure she finds out," Elsa said sadly.

The Princess nodded, grateful to have avoided that duty.

"All I need from you," Elsa continued, "is to send a bird containing a message…"

Queen Elinor stormed into the sanctuary belonging to Caleach. She had received a message from her daughter stating that Alex would remain in the North and that a messenger would be waiting for her here to explain everything.

They were out of their minds if they thought she would allow this! She lost her daughter to those lands, she'd be damned if she allowed Alex to remain there as well. It had been a mistake allowing her only granddaughter to return there…

The queen heard movement behind her and assumed it was the messenger Merida had mentioned. She kept her back turned to them, letting them know exactly who they were dealing with.

"Mother?"

Elinor froze; she'd know that voice anywhere.

"Aili," she asked as she slowly turned, coming face to face with the spirt of her lost daughter. As soon as their eyes met, the queen fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. It was most certainly her daughter, older than she remembered, and somehow even more beautiful. Her hands shot out, shaking, but reaching for her lost child.

"Mother," Aili repeated, a smile blossoming on her face as she reached for her mother's hands, "I've missed you."

"Aili," she repeated, gripping her daughter's hands tightly. "How…?"

"I don't have long," she answered sadly, "just long enough to pass on Caleach's wish to allow Alex to stay in the North."

"I can't lose her, not like I lost you," she choked out.

"You won't," Aili assured. "There are many who will protect her."

"Like they protected you," Elinor spat out. "You weren't worth their protection, what makes you think they'll do better for her?"

Aili pulled her mother up so they were eye to eye before quietly speaking. "I cannot make any promises, I wish I could. The last thing I want is for my baby girl to join me, but you must understand, she needs to be there."

"Why? What is so important I must sacrifice my only granddaughter," Elinor demanded. "Isn't it enough I lost you? Haven't I paid a high enough price to the gods to be left alone with what is left of my family?"

Losing the last of her control, she broke, sobbing as Aili pulled her into a tight embrace.

"She'll be alright," Aili whispered in her mother's ear.

"How do you know," the queen hiccupped in response.

"I don't," she replied with a small laugh, "but I do have faith in the Winter Goddess' promise. 'A princess always shows proper reverence to the Gods'."

Elinor gave a watery laugh before saying, "You always were the only one to ever listen to my lessons." Straightening, she looked her daughter in the eye and said, "I don't like this, and I will require she returns on a regular basis."

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Aili said with a smile. "For what it's worth, she doesn't want to leave any of you. The North has always been home to her, but you're her family. She won't want to abandon you."

The queen gave a small smile before asking, "How much longer can you stay?"

"Not much," Aili sighed.

"Long enough for me to at least braid your hair, one last time?" When her girls were little, Aili was the only one who ever let her hair be braided, Merida insisting her hair remain as free as her spirit. It was a nightly routine between them that Elinor cherished and missed desperately when her daughter grew older and insisted on doing it herself.

"I'd like that," Aili said with a smile as she sat on the ground in front of one of the benches so her mother could sit behind her. Elinor smiled as she sat behind her daughter, not even bothering to fight the tears and she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair.

Elsa stood next to the Goddess of the Afterlife at her shrine as they watched mother and daughter interact.

"I trust you won't interrupt them until their done?"

"Just because I control Hell doesn't mean I'm a demon," she shot back. "Give me a little credit, Elsa."

"I'm sorry," the Winter Goddess conceded. "Everything that this family has endured still weighs on me. If I can see them get even a little peace…"

"I understand. Don't worry, I'll make sure Aili knows when her time is up so they can say their goodbyes."

"Thank you," Elsa said, looking over at the pair once more. "I won't forget this."

"Only because I won't let you," she shot back as Elsa disappeared. Sighing, she focused her attention on mother and daughter while giving them as much privacy as possible.

* * *

A/N: So... been a long time since I posted anything. I don't have any excuse except that life has been crazy for me lately. I know that's weak, but it's all I got. Thank you to everyone for putting up with me, and for the PMs I got asking me if I was ok (the subtle hint to hurry up and post this was definitely heard lol) I know this is shorter than most of my other chapters, but I really wanted to get it out. Sorry for the mistakes or if it has a choppy flow.

One of the things that distracted me and delayed this chapter is I went back and reworked all my previous chapters. I never intended for this story to get as long and drawn out as it has, and I didn't feel like the earlier chapters were good enough to support it. One thing led to another, and I ended up editing everything before chapter 20. If you don't want to go back and read it all, it's fine. I didn't do anything that would have messed with the basic story line. I introduced some characters sooner and gave others (like Vidar) and bit more depth. Thanks again for sticking with me!


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